To finally solve the problem of chaotic drug distribution and its attendant negative effects in the country, the Federal Government has launched a new drug distribution guideline tagged: National Drug Distribution and Pharmacovigilance Policy.
The new policy was launched at an event held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, recently, and chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekeremadu.
Speaking at the occasion, Senator Ekweremadu assured stakeholders in health that were present that adequate legislative framework was being put in place to support the health ministry in the implementation of the policy.
He urged all the stakeholders in the health sector to work together to ensure its success.
He said that Nigeria needs a drug distribution guideline and policy, to be free of mortality related to drug abuse and distribution related problems in her centenary.
He commended the health ministry for their doggedness and vision for coming out with the policy, promising legislative support.
On his part, the Minister of Health, Professor C. O. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the guideline was to ensure safer distribution of drugs in the nation’s health centres.
The minister, who lamented the high rate of mortality, due to the wrong use of drugs, assured that the new policy was capable of reducing the menace.
Other experts, who spoke at the event, said the many deaths caused by their intended agent of cure, when badly applied, was the reason why the new guideline and policy were being launched.
Chairman of PV policy development committee, Professor Adamu Isah, his colleague, director of Food and Drugs at the health ministry, Pharmacist Joy Ugwu, all decried the danger caused by bad application of drugs, which should not be allowed in a country like Nigeria.
Pharmacist Ugwu, who presented a paper at the event, said the sector has employed six thousand workers but was faced with problems, which necessitated the new guideline.
She informed that Nigeria started very well at the beginning but things went bad when the cost of drugs went higher than the common man could afford, thus giving opportunity for drug cabals to come into the system.
She lamented that Nigeria was later flooded with fake drugs, while the reluctance of the relevant regulatory agents to clamp down on them brought about the present mess.
On his part, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharmacist Olumide Akintayo, assured of his society’s willingness to support the policy.
