Health
NAFDAC urges rational use of medicines, stronger pharmacovigilance for patients safety
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has emphasised the need for the rational use of medicines and strengthened pharmacovigilance systems to enhance patients safety.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known at a sensitisation programme organised for community stakeholders in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The programme, themed “Rational Use of Medicines: Strengthening Pharmacovigilance for Patient Safety Public Health,” was organised by NAFDAC in partnership with the Immunisation Plus and Malaria by Accelerating Coverage and Transmission (IMPACT).
Mrs Adeyeye, represented by Uchenna Elemuwa, NAFDAC Director of Pharmacovigilance, said the programme was critical in promoting and protecting public health.
She noted that the rational use of medicines remained a fundamental pillar of effective healthcare delivery while warning that inappropriate use of medications could result in serious health consequences.
“Rational use of medicine is when a patient uses a medication appropriately in line with their clinical needs, in the correct doses, for an adequate duration, and at the lowest possible cost to both the patient and the community,” she said.
“Self-medication, misuse of antibiotics, polypharmacy, incorrect dosing, failure to adhere to prescribed treatments, use of counterfeit medicines and sharing medicines among family members pose dangers to public health.
“Rational use of medication is critical and that is why we are strongly against unhealthy practices that contribute significantly to treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, prolonged illness, and preventable deaths,” she said.
Antimicrobial resistance
Mrs Adeyeye added that the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which was one of the greatest threats to global health, emanated from the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.
According to her, pharmacovigilance plays a critical role in addressing these challenges through the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects and other medicine-related problems.
“No medicine is completely free from side effects,” Mrs Adeyeye said, adding that effective pharmacovigilance systems enabled healthcare professionals and patients to identify harmful reactions early and report them for appropriate regulatory actions.
She said the agency had continued to strengthen post-marketing surveillance, safety monitoring systems, adverse drug reaction reporting mechanisms, risk communication strategies and public sensitisation among others.
Mrs Adeyeye urged the participants, healthcare professionals and members of the public to actively report adverse drug reactions, stressing that “a single adverse drug reaction report can save thousands of lives.”
The NAFDAC boss also called for more collaborative effort to strengthen rational medicine use and pharmacovigilance through continuous education for healthcare workers, public awareness against self-medication and antibiotic misuse among others.
Adverse drug reaction
Adekunle Oreagba, a Professor of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, College of Medicine University of Lagos, emphasised the need for Nigerians to be more aware of adverse drug reaction (ADR).
Mr Oreagba, who is the South-West Coordinator of ADR in the country, spoke on the “Introduction to ADR and Pharmacovigilance, What Every Community Members Should Know”.
He explained that adverse drug reactions were harmful effects that occurred after taking medicines correctly and as prescribed.
The coordinator noted that many people experience unusual symptoms after using medications but often failed to report them, making it difficult for health authorities and regulatory agency to monitor medicine safety.
He added that pharmacovigilance was crucial in understanding, and preventing adverse effects of prescribed medicine, hence the need for people to report any unusual reaction from the use of prescribed drug to health professionals.
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“Reporting adverse drug reactions is essential for protecting public health,” he said.
“The information provided by patients and healthcare professionals helps regulatory authorities to identify medicines with potential safety concerns.
“If adverse drug reactions are not reported, health authorities cannot accurately determine their frequency or impact within the community.”
Mr Oreagba identified the use of multiple medications at once, known as Polypharmacy, as one of the major risk factors of ADR in humans.
He also added that children and older adults were also at risks of ADR because of their vulnerability. He said individuals with kidney and liver health issues are also at risk.
“Little children process medicines differently because their organs are still developing, while older adults, with multiple health conditions, may be taking several medications that increase their susceptibility to adverse reactions,” he said.
The professor advised members of the public to seek medical attention and report symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, skin rashes, stomach pain, or other unusual discomforts that develop after medication use.
The Chairman of Mushin LGA, Tunbosun Aruwe, commended NAFDAC for educating stakeholders on the various critical health issues that affected the common man.
(NAN)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 3,200 confirmed Ebola cases, including 1,405 deaths, as the outbreak continues to spread across six provinces, according to the country’s latest situation report.
The report, which covers data up to Saturday, showed that 571 patients have recovered, while 773 others remain in isolation and under medical supervision.
Within the previous 24 hours, health authorities recorded 125 new infections and 51 deaths, underscoring the continued transmission of the virus.
Ituri remains epicentre
The outbreak, declared on 15 May, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although candidate vaccines are undergoing evaluation.
According to the report, Ituri Province continues to bear the brunt of the outbreak, accounting for 89 per cent of all confirmed infections nationwide.
Health authorities attributed the sustained spread of the virus to population movements, insecurity, artisanal mining activities and cross border travel involving Uganda and South Sudan.
They noted that the outbreak remains in a phase of sustained transmission, with a high level of virus circulation across affected communities.
The report also highlighted mounting pressure on treatment facilities, particularly in North Kivu Province, where 171 patients are occupying centres designed for 141 beds.
Nationwide, Ebola treatment centres have reached an occupancy rate of 82.1 per cent, reflecting the increasing burden on the country’s health system.
Authorities said surveillance and response measures would be intensified to curb transmission and prevent further spread of the disease.
Case in Uganda
The latest figures from the DRC come as neighbouring Uganda moves closer to being declared Ebola free.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Uganda began the mandatory 42-day countdown after discharging its last Ebola patient from an isolation unit.
Under World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, a country can only be declared Ebola free if no new cases are recorded during the 42 -day period.
Preparedness in Nigeria
As the outbreak worsens in Central Africa, Nigerian health authorities have intensified surveillance and emergency preparedness to reduce the risk of cross border transmission.
PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) activated its Emergency Operations Centre, strengthened screening at points of entry and heightened surveillance across states following the declaration of the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda.
READ ALSO: CEPI begins first human trial of Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine
The federal government has also identified 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory as being at high risk of Ebola infection based on a dynamic risk assessment and has urged state governments to strengthen surveillance, isolation capacity and infection prevention measures.
The federal government has announced that nearly 10,000 Nigerians benefited from specialist medical services, surgeries and other healthcare interventions under the 2026 Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (NDHII).
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Saturday at the National Diaspora Merit Award Dinner and closing ceremony of the 2026 Diaspora Health Impact Initiative held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.
Mr Salako said the initiative brought together thousands of Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora who voluntarily returned to the country to provide specialist medical services, conduct surgeries, mentor healthcare workers and support local health systems.
He described the programme as a demonstration of patriotism and an example of how diaspora expertise could help improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
According to him, diaspora medical teams drawn from organisations in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Germany and South Africa delivered medical interventions across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Healthcare services
Mr Salako said the initiative provided medical consultations, specialist surgeries, diagnostic services, telemedicine, sickle cell screening and other healthcare interventions to nearly 10,000 Nigerians.
He added that more than 2,000 frontline healthcare workers were trained during the programme to strengthen the country’s capacity to provide quality healthcare after the medical missions ended.
Among the achievements highlighted by the minister were the training of over 1,000 frontline health workers on the Safer Births Bundle of Care in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
He also said more than 4,000 medical consultations and over 500 surgeries were carried out in Enugu, Imo and Abia states.
According to him, advanced interventional radiology, neurosurgery and endoscopy procedures were performed in Lagos, while healthcare workers in Edo State received training on ultrasound-based diagnosis of endometriosis.
He added that telemedicine and primary healthcare services were expanded in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State through the initiative.
Government plans
Mr Salako said the federal government would continue to strengthen engagement with Nigerian health professionals abroad by simplifying licensing procedures, facilitating locum arrangements and supporting customs and visa waivers for medical missions.
He added that the government would also encourage diaspora investment in hospitals, diagnostic centres and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
While acknowledging the migration of Nigerian health professionals, Mr Salako said the Tinubu administration was implementing reforms to improve healthcare financing, infrastructure, workforce welfare, and professional development.
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He urged Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to register on the newly launched Nigerians in Diaspora Advanced Health Programme (NiDAH) Portal and the Diaspora Health Registry to enable them to contribute more effectively to the country’s health sector.
Mr Salako also called for sustained collaboration through telemedicine, digital health, structured training partnerships, joint clinical research, technology transfer and public-private partnerships.
He commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), state governments, development partners and members of the joint planning committee for supporting the successful implementation of the initiative.
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