By Chioma Obinna
LAGOS — National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four African countries with a view to increasing the level of awareness as well as strategise internationally against counterfeit drugs in Africa.

The countries are Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Gambia.

Addressing representatives of the countries shortly after the tour of NAFDAC facilities in Lagos, Director General of the agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, who explained that the war against counterfeit drugs cannot be fought locally, adding that it was time for African countries to unite against counterfeit drugs in the continent.

Orhii who noted that the visit of the heads of other drug regulatory bodies was important, said it was another strategy to have a common front and understanding beyond efforts at the local levels.

His words: “The fight against drug counterfeiting cannot be won by one country in one jurisdiction; we have to adopt a holistic approach.”

We are signing MoU today to foster further partnerships and share information as well as learn from one another.”
The DG also unveiled the NAFDAC Automated Production Administration and Monitoring System, called NAPAMS, which aimed at improving registration and monitoring of counterfeit drugs in the country.

He said the software, which will soon be introduced to the staff of the agency and food and drug manufacturers, will ease the process of applications and renewals for the two parties.

According to him, the new software means applications sent in from prospective manufacturers will now take 40 days, as against months or years, which such applications used to take.

Speaking at the joint meeting against drug counterfeiting, Registrar, Pharmacy Board of  Sierra leone, Mr. Wiltshire who noted that most of the fake drugs were not produced in Africa regretted that the continent has become a dumping ground for counterfeit medicines.

Positing that it was time for the continent to jointly fight against drug counterfeiting, he lamented that Africans have suffered unduly in the hands of drug fakers.

His words, “The issue of fake products is not just about people but about leadership, if you do not have committed leaders to move the fight forward, then we will be consumed by the activities of drug fakers.

Africa nations are suffering unduly, these products are not made here, they do not fly in here, they are brought here, it is a war that they have descended upon us.  If we do not work togther to fight against this terrible war, at the end of the day our people will continue to suffer”.