NAFDAC Inaugurates 600 Pharmacists Reserve Volunteers to Fight Fake Drugs

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has officially welcomed 600 pharmacists into the agency's Pharmacists Reserve Volunteer Programme (PRVP). This initiative aims to bolster the fight against counterfeit medications and unwholesome food products throughout Nigeria.

The pharmacists, recruited from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, represent the nation's six geopolitical zones. During the inauguration ceremony, Adeyeye emphasized the importance of serving the country with integrity, discipline, and commitment, warning volunteers against succumbing to pressures or inducements that could jeopardize their duties.

She explained that the selection process was transparent, considering merit, availability, and fair geographical distribution. The PRVP is not an internship but an investment in the pharmacists and the future of regulatory practice in Nigeria, with volunteers receiving training in medicines regulation, compliance monitoring, quality assurance, data collection, and public sensitization against drug abuse.

Adeyeye outlined key expectations from the volunteers, including prompt responsiveness to assignments, confidentiality of information obtained during inspections and investigations, and a commitment to continuous learning. The initiative aims to create a national reserve of trained, vetted, and mobilizable pharmacists who can be deployed swiftly in response to public health threats, such as product recalls, falsified medicines, and emergencies in remote communities.

Adeyeye stressed the importance of the regulatory presence extending beyond NAFDAC's laboratories and ports of entry to markets, community pharmacies, and primary healthcare centers nationwide, emphasizing that regulation reaching the people's doorsteps is crucial for a nation with over two hundred million inhabitants.