The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has gone digital in its efforts to rid the country of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products.

During a two-day workshop and training session in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, NAFDAC introduced an app, Greenbook, an online platform for identifying the source of a product.

The Greenbook allows consumers to enter the product name, brand name, or registration number to search for information about its registration status.

If the product is listed in the Greenbook, it signifies that it has been registered by NAFDAC and is considered authentic.

The app serves as a tool to help consumers identify and avoid potentially fake or substandard products.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, speaking at the workshop in Port Harcourt, stated that these fake products are “produced by our greedy businessmen and their international collaborators to get rich or make money,” describing it as the worst form of inhumanity of man to his fellow men.

Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate, NAFDAC, Fraden Bitrus, noted that the agency has, over the years, deployed various measures to combat falsified products.

She expressed concern that counterfeiters have adopted increasingly sophisticated methods to advance their trade but assured that NAFDAC “is poised to use technologies and modern means to mitigate the activities of counterfeiters, hence the need for stakeholder sensitisation.”

She added that the workshop aims to educate stakeholders and provide hands-on training on the NAFDAC Greenbook, the Traceability Regulation 2024, and the Paediatric Regulation 2024, ensuring that both the regulator and the regulated are aligned in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products.

Prof. Adeyeye revealed that the project is being implemented in phases, initially used for COVID-19 vaccine distribution as a pilot project, which yielded highly effective results.

She noted, “Within 24 hours, batches of substandard or defective vaccines distributed in the country were traced and recalled.”

She further stated, “We have implemented it for commodities in public health, such as antimalarial and narcotic products.

Over time, we will extend it to other products. Please note that with this technology, stakeholders can detect and reject SF products before they enter the supply chain.”

She called on all stakeholders in the healthcare sector to support these initiatives to combat fake products and ensure the availability of quality, safe, and efficacious medical products for the people of Nigeria.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to return goods seized from traders at Ogbo Ogwu Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group alleged that NAFDAC officials conducted a midnight raid on the market, blocking CCTV cameras, breaking into shops, and confiscating goods under the claim of targeting fake drugs.

IPOB criticized the method of the operation, questioning the agency’s approach and transparency.

While IPOB reaffirmed its stance against the sale of counterfeit drugs, it raised concerns over the alleged seizure of traders’ goods in their absence, the blocking of surveillance cameras, and the lack of evidence proving that all confiscated products were counterfeit.

The group posed several questions to NAFDAC, including: Why was the operation conducted at midnight? Why were CCTV cameras blocked?

Where is the evidence that the confiscated drugs were fake? Why was the entire market sealed, affecting both innocent and guilty traders?

IPOB urged NAFDAC to adopt a more professional and transparent approach to combating fake drugs, suggesting that the agency establish permanent offices in drug markets to ensure proper regulation rather than conducting surprise raids.

The statement also called for collaboration between NAFDAC and the Anambra State Government to relocate the drug market to the new Oba Drug Market, ensuring that only licensed and certified dealers are allowed to operate.

The State Commissioner for Health, Yanusa Ismail, disclosed this during a press conference in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

He revealed that a total of 248 suspected cases have been recorded, with 11 samples taken for examination, out of which three have been confirmed negative.

According to the commissioner, the affected LGAs are Gwandu, Aleiro, and Jega. He provided a breakdown of the fatalities as follows: 18 in Gwandu, six in Jega, four in Aleiro, and one in Argungu.

In response to the outbreak, the Kebbi State Government has approved ₦30 million for the procurement of drugs to contain the spread of the disease.

The commissioner urged the public to maintain personal hygiene and avoid crowded places to reduce the risk of infection.

He also confirmed that isolation centres have been set up to manage cases.

He added that samples have been sent to Abuja for further testing, and if confirmed, the state government will request vaccines to prevent further spread.

Meanwhile, Ohibaba.com has learned that a case was also detected at Aleiro State University of Science and Technology, resulting in one death.

The commissioner confirmed this development and advised the university authorities to take measures to decongest student hostels.