Key points
- National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control warned that antimicrobial resistance is becoming a major public health threat due to misuse of antibiotics.
- The agency urged healthcare stakeholders and Nigerians to actively report adverse drug reactions and suspicious medicine-related cases.
- Traditional rulers, WHO and medicine dealers pledged support for stronger pharmacovigilance and the fight against fake drugs.
Main story
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has called on healthcare stakeholders and Nigerians to intensify vigilance against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR), warning that irrational use of medicines is posing serious risks to public health.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call on Wednesday during a one-day pharmacovigilance workshop and stakeholders’ town hall meeting held in Enugu.
Represented by the agency’s South-East Director, Dr Festus Ukadike, Adeyeye described antimicrobial resistance as one of the gravest consequences of drug misuse globally.
According to her, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have accelerated the emergence of resistant microorganisms that no longer respond to conventional treatment.
“This means that infections previously treatable with common antibiotics are becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to manage,” she said.
She warned that failure to urgently address antimicrobial resistance could reverse decades of medical progress and endanger global health outcomes.
Adeyeye explained that pharmacovigilance — the science of detecting, assessing and preventing adverse effects linked to medicines — remains critical in ensuring that medicines remain safe and effective even after approval and release into the market.
She noted that while no medicine is entirely free from side effects, effective pharmacovigilance systems enable healthcare professionals and patients to identify harmful reactions early and report them appropriately for regulatory intervention.
The issues
Antimicrobial resistance has continued to emerge as a growing global health concern, particularly in countries where self-medication, counterfeit drugs and indiscriminate antibiotic use remain widespread.
Health experts warn that resistant infections could become harder and more expensive to treat if stronger monitoring systems and public awareness campaigns are not sustained.
The proliferation of fake and substandard medicines, especially in rural communities, also remains a major challenge to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Stakeholders at the event stressed the need for improved public reporting mechanisms and stricter enforcement against fake drug peddlers.
What’s being said
Adeyeye reaffirmed that pharmacovigilance remains one of NAFDAC’s core mandates and urged Nigerians to actively participate in monitoring adverse drug reactions and medicine safety concerns.
The World Health Organization State Coordinator in Enugu, Dr Adaeze Ugwu, pledged continued support for NAFDAC in strengthening healthcare and food safety systems in the country.
Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers, Dr Oliver Ezemba, urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of reporting irregularities associated with medicines to NAFDAC for proper investigation.
According to him, such reports could help protect many Nigerians using the same medicines.
The Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu, commended NAFDAC for organising the workshop and called for stronger action against fake medicine dealers operating in rural communities.
He warned that some fake drug sellers were distributing ineffective substances disguised as medicines in villages, contributing to preventable deaths.
Asadu pledged the support of traditional rulers in assisting NAFDAC to combat the circulation of counterfeit medicines across communities in the state.
What’s next
NAFDAC said it would continue strengthening public sensitisation campaigns and encouraging the use of its Med Safety Mobile App for reporting suspected adverse drug reactions and antimicrobial resistance cases.
The agency is also expected to deepen collaboration with healthcare providers, community leaders and regulatory stakeholders to improve medicine safety monitoring nationwide.
Bottom line
NAFDAC’s warning highlights the growing dangers posed by antimicrobial resistance, fake medicines and poor drug monitoring systems in Nigeria. The agency’s renewed push for pharmacovigilance underscores the urgent need for collective action to safeguard public health and preserve the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.
