THE ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD AND DRUGS ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL NAFDAC UNDER DORA NKEM AKUNYILI AS DIRECTOR GENERAL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the Study

National agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC) is a federal agency under the Federal Ministry of Health that is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sales and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water in Nigeria(http://www.nafdac.gov.ng).

The formation of NAFDAC was inspired by a 1988 world Health Assembly resolution requesting countries help in combating the global health threat posed by counterfeit pharmaceuticals (Ikhilae, 4). National Agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC) replaced an earlier Federal Ministry of Health body, the Directorate of Food and Drug Administration and Control, which had been deemed ineffective, particularly because of lack of laws concerning fake drugs (Arya, 5).

The organization is formed to checkmate illicit and counterfeit products in Nigeria in 1993, under the country’s health and safety law. Adulterated and counterfeit drugs are a problem in Nigeria. In 1989 incident, over 150 children died as a result of paracetamol syrup containing diethylene glycol. The problem of fake drugs was so severe that neighbouring countries such as Ghana and Sierra Leone officially banned the sale of drugs, food and beverages products made in Nigeria (Oyeniyi, 3). The importance of food and drugs to man and animal particularly is very obvious. They need food in order to grow and sustain life, while life goes on and because of the inherent deposition to illness, the organ of the body may not always function properly. This situation of ill health provided the compelling need for drugs in order to modify functioning of the body and restore it to normal. To be acceptable, the drugs must not be detterous to the body but should rather produce a positive effect, which leads to restoration of normal life. In like manner, cosmetics should have no harmful effect on the bodyto whichto which they are applied (King, 1-2).

It is the duty of governments to protect the health of the citizens. The challenge in this regard, apart from providing treatment facilities to the sick, there is the prevention of hazard from unwholesome foods, ineffective substandard and adulterated drugs, toxic cosmetics and chemicals, as well as contaminated water.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

The problem of fake drugs have embarrassed our healthcare producers and denied the confidence of the public on the nation’s healthcare delivery system. The result of fake drug proliferation has led to treatment failure, organ dysfunction or damage, worsening of chronic disease conditions and the death of many Nigerians. The situation became so bad that even when patients were treated with genuine drugs, there is no response due to resistance caused by precious intake of fake drugs. This and other issues constitute the research problem.