12th April, 2011
The Partnership for Transforming Health Systems 2 (PATHS 2) has donated 20 mini-lab testing kits to NAFDAC for the surveillance of counterfeit drugs at the borders.
The kits were presented to the agency in Abuja on Monday by Dr. Mike Egboh, the National Programme Manager of PATHS 2.
Egboh, while presenting the equipment, said it cost the organisation 100,000 euros.
“The presentation of this kit is to tackle the issue of fake drugs in our society and the challenges NADFAC has been facing in fighting counterfeiters.
“The mini-lab testing kits are to aid the agency detect fake drugs at the point of entering the country,’’ he said.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, noted that fake medicines and foods had been a challenge in Nigeria, adding that the problem progressively increased.
Orhii said the mini-lab testing kits would increase the agency’s capacity to detect fake drugs imported into the country, adding that they would be deployed to strategic places at the borders.
He assured PATHS 2 that the equipment would be effectively used to safeguard the health of Nigerians.
In his presentation, Mr. Ali Ibrahim, the Deputy Director of Technical services, NAFDAC, said that the kits contained the essential laboratory ware and all other chemicals required for reference purposes.
He, however, added that it was a complete laboratory supplied in two suitcases.
Ibrahim said the mini-lab was useful in the screening and detection of counterfeit medicines.
He recommended the equipment to manufacturers, importers, distributors, public and private hospitals as well as retail drug outlets to enable them to ascertain genuine drugs.
