The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced it will begin pharmacovigilance assessment of healthcare facilities in Kwara.
State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mrs. Mariam Issa-Onilu, made the announcement on Monday in Ilorin during a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health.
Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities related to detecting, assessing, understanding, and preventing adverse effects or other medicine- or vaccine-related problems.
Issa-Onilu stated that the agency remains committed to embedding robust pharmacovigilance principles and practices across the healthcare system.
According to her, this effort is in line with Nigeria’s National Pharmacovigilance Policy and Implementation Framework 2020.
“The assessment will focus on the structure and functionality of Pharmacovigilance Committees, reporting channels for Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), risk management and signal detection processes, as well as collaboration between PVC units and other stakeholders,” she explained.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Kwara Ministry of Health, Dr. Taoheed Abdullahi, commended NAFDAC for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerians’ health through various regulatory and public health programs.
He emphasized the need to strengthen Pharmacovigilance Committees (PVCs) in healthcare facilities.
Abdullahi also urged NAFDAC to intensify public awareness on pharmacovigilance through media campaigns, stakeholder sensitization programs, community outreach activities, and the distribution of educational materials such as flyers and posters.
He further assured NAFDAC of the Ministry’s support and pledged to facilitate the agency’s participation in the Health Gist program to promote greater public understanding of medicine safety and adverse drug reaction reporting.
