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NAFDAC DG says Staff shortage hindering regulatory duties

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed concern over its staff shortage, which was limiting the agency’s effectiveness in its regulatory duties.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, discussed this challenge during a special interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

She explained that while NAFDAC was often associated with regulating substandard and falsified medicines, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) was also involved in the process, specifically in the registration of drug-selling sites and practitioners.

However, Adeyeye noted that both agencies were severely understaffed, a situation that impacted their ability to effectively carry out their roles.

She called on the government to address the staffing issue to ensure efficient service delivery.

“PCN is responsible for registering drug-selling sites, whether a small kiosk or large shop, and also the practitioners.

But both NAFDAC and PCN face staff shortages, which hinder our ability to reach every corner of the country,” she said.

Adeyeye pointed out that while NAFDAC had been working closely with PCN, the staff shortage remained a significant obstacle.

She compared Nigeria’s staffing situation with that of Indonesia, which, with a population of 280 million, had 20,000 staff at its regulatory agency, while Nigeria, with 220 million people, had only 2,000 NAFDAC staff.

On the recent labour union crisis at NAFDAC, Adeyeye clarified that the unions’ demands, including promotions for staff based on the last promotion exam, were beyond the agency’s authority.

She explained that the number of promotions was determined by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), not NAFDAC management.

The Head of Service has the mandate for the number of staff to be promoted.

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BREAKING: NCDC Flags 2 New Suspected Ebola Cases in North-East

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported two new suspected cases of Ebola virus disease in the country’s North-East region.

In an update released on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the agency said the two individuals have been isolated. Contact identification and listing are ongoing, and laboratory testing is underway to confirm or rule out the infection.

“Being classified as suspected cases does not mean they are confirmed Ebola cases; confirmation is subject to laboratory results,” the NCDC stated. The agency advised the public to maintain good hand hygiene, practise enhanced sanitation, and follow guidance from public health authorities. Further updates will be provided as verified information becomes available.

The development comes after Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20. That case involved a 42-year-old woman who had travelled from Uganda to Abuja and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. She was later medically evacuated to Switzerland along with her husband.

Health authorities continue to monitor contacts linked to the earlier confirmed case while strengthening surveillance nationwide.

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Nigeria’s First Imported Ebola Patient Moved to Switzerland

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Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, confirmed on Monday that the country’s first imported Ebola patient has been evacuated from Abuja to Switzerland.

In a statement posted on X, Pate said the patient was clinically improving, stable and conscious but remained potentially infectious, necessitating strict safety protocols throughout the evacuation process.

The patient travelled with her spouse, who has remained asymptomatic. The minister commended healthcare workers for their efforts in managing the case.

Pate assured Nigerians that public health measures remain in place to contain the virus and urged citizens to stay vigilant while relying only on credible information.

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Ebola: Nigeria Sends Back Swiss Woman Via Medivac Plane

The patient who is the wife of a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria was flown out of Nigeria this morning through a medivac plane which was already at the airport waiting to evacuate her.

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A Swiss woman diagnosed with Ebola virus in Nigeria is set to be evacuated from the country early this morning through an air ambulance at the private jet wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Ohibaba News learned the patient who is the wife of a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria was flown out of Nigeria this morning through a medivac plane which was already at the airport waiting to evacuate her.

Our Reporter deployed to the General Aviation Terminal later obtained pictures of the arrival of a convoy of vehicular ambulance from Abuja city centre with diplomatic vehicles in the entourage.

The three vehicle convoy had an international Agency vehicle entering the Private Jet section of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

Airport officials cordoned off the private wing of the airport but news men eventually obtained videos of a medivac plane with crews eventually evacuating the sick passenger suspected to be the Ebola index case due to the special nature of the medical evacuation.

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