By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
In a renewed drive to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in a collaborative move, will improve access to quality healthcare services for all Nigerians through the provision of quality medicines across hospitals.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, made this known on Thursday when the Director-General of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, paid a courtesy visit to her office in Abuja.
This development aligns with the presidential directive aimed at achieving universal health coverage for all Nigerians, Prof. Adeyeye said.
She underscored the importance of involving both NAFDAC and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) in the procurement processes of medicines.
The NAFDAC DG described such collaboration as critical to curbing the circulation of counterfeit and expired drugs in healthcare facilities and ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medicines.
She further highlighted the regulatory roles of NAFDAC and PCN, noting that their responsibilities extend to monitoring compliance, sanctioning defaulters, revoking licenses, and, where necessary, shutting down pharmaceutical companies that fail to adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
Moreover, she expressed concern over the challenges Nigerians face in accessing quality healthcare services, particularly those covered under the NHIA scheme.
She noted that the experiences of many patients were difficult and, at times, traumatic.
Reaffirming the agency’s commitment, Prof. Adeyeye pledged that NAFDAC would continue to strengthen partnerships with relevant government agencies to ensure the availability of quality medicines and alleviate the burden faced by citizens in accessing healthcare, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, commended Prof. Adeyeye for her leadership and dedication to safeguarding public health through the regulation of medicines and other products.
Dr. Ohiri stated that effective healthcare delivery requires strong synergy between regulatory bodies and service providers.
He explained that the purpose of his visit was to review the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NHIA and NAFDAC, strengthen institutional collaboration, and discuss ongoing reforms aimed at improving healthcare access and advancing the medicines supply initiative.
He also highlighted the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund as a key initiative designed to expand health insurance coverage and address pressing concerns of citizens.
He appreciated Prof. Adeyeye for identifying challenges faced by patients and assured that the ongoing reforms within NHIA would address most of these issues.
End
