NEWS: NAFDAC Seeks Stakeholders Collaboration to Tackle Drug Abuse.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has appealed to the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) and other stakeholders to help it tackle the menace of substance abuse in Taraba State.

The Agency, in a press statement released by its Taraba State Coordinator, Mr Suleiman Muyideen, in Jalingo on yesterday decried the alarming rate of substance abuse and general non compliance with the Agency’s enabling laws and regulations in the state.

The NAFDAC boss, who was recently deployed to Taraba from Katsina State solicited the support of the critical stakeholders in ensuring only genuine, effective and safe drugs and products are manufactured in the state.

According to him: “We took four consecutive days to hold series of meetings with all the stakeholders, where we solicited their support in ensuring that only genuine, effective and safe regulated products are manufactured in the state”

“We deliberated on several issues especially the alarming rate of substance abuse as relates to cough syrup with codein, tramadol as well as mobile authentication of anti malaria drugs and antibiotics.

In the same vein, Muyideen noted that the Agency held several discussions on banned drugs such as nimesulide, analgin (Dipyron), gentamycin 280mg, phenylpopanolamine among others at the meetings with a view to getting the stakeholders assist it in stopping drug abuse in the state.

Among the critical stakeholders involved in the meetings, according to him are the National Association of Patents and Proprietary of Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) and National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP).

Others, according to Muyideen were Herbal and Islamic Medicine practitioners, Non-Pharmacists Operators of Pharmacies and Veterinary Drug Dealers.

He however warned that the Agency, which has the mandate to safeguard public health would no longer tolerate any act of non compliance with its enabling laws by any individual or group saying it would no longer be business as usual.