By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja – The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has directed healthcare providers and institutions to monitor, detect and report Adverse Drug Reactions to appropriate authorities.
He gave the order at the opening ceremony of Nigeria Specific Meeting on Pharmacovigilance Africa (PAVIA) on Monday in Abuja.
Adewole was represented by Mr Mashood Lawal, Director, Food and Drug Services, in the Ministry.
The minister said that government had developed policies for stakeholders in health sectors to detect, document and report adverse drug reactions associated with use of medicines in the country.
He said that in line with the Pharmcovigilance policy, the ministry was aware of NAFDAC’s partnership with National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programe (NTBLCP), Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) and University of Benin.
According to him, the partnership with the agencies and other stakeholders is to monitor, detect, document and report adverse drug reactions associated with medicines used in the TB programme.
“I will like to use this opportunity to call on all PAVIA partners to strengthen Pharmacovigilance systems in Nigeria particularly those related to NTBLCP.
“PAVIA partners should also effectively detect and report adverse reactions that may be associated with new drugs for Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Tuberculosis.
“This is pertinent because Nigeria is classified amongst the 14 countries with high burden of MDR-TB and TB/HIV disease,” he said.
According to him, TB incidence rate in 2016 indicates 219 per 100,000 population with 407,000 estimated cases.
He said that the mortality rate of all forms of TB excluding HIV with TB stood at 62 per 100,000 population during the period.
The minister urged all the major partners and stakeholders to strengthen their coordination mechanism to effectively implement PAVIA project in the country.
He expressed confident that the meeting would provide the forum for sensitisation and mobilisation for the implementation of PAVIA project in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, explained that PAVIA project was to strengthen Pharmacovigilance (PV) in four African countries of Ethiopia, Nigeria, Swaziland and Tanzania.
She stated that the project would enhance governance of PV systems by strengthening regulatory and organisational structures as well as defining clear roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders.
“It will improve efficiency and effectiveness of national surveillance of adverse drug reaction and implementation of tools and technologies for their detection, reporting, analysis and dissemination.
“It will build capacity and skills to sufficiently conduct safety monitoring activities throughout the country,” Adeyeye said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by NAFDAC in collaboration with NTBLCP, IHVN, University of Benin and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation.