The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the public to report adverse drug reactions through its Med Safety App, in a bid to strengthen consumer safety and ensure harmful products are removed from circulation.
Mr. Kenneth Azikwe, Director of NAFDAC’s North Central Zone, made the appeal during a stakeholders’ engagement in Minna on Monday. He explained that swift reporting of side effects would enable the agency to act quickly in safeguarding public health.
“Don’t keep quiet when you take a drug and you get a negative reaction in your body; report such products using your phone through the app,” Azikwe said. “Once you complain, we have officers watching the app, and an investigation will be launched immediately to withdraw the drug if it is not good.”
Azikwe emphasized NAFDAC’s focus on pharmacovigilance, noting that consumer feedback is critical to improving regulatory activities. He also highlighted several digital tools designed to make compliance easier for businesses, including the NAFDAC Automated Product and Monitoring System (NAPMS), which allows companies to register products online without visiting the agency’s offices.
He encouraged micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to take advantage of the NAFDAC MSME Registration Scheme, which simplifies the registration of low-risk food products, and the Green Book, a database of registered products that can be accessed through mobile phones.
Azikwe further urged stakeholders, especially in the agrochemical and chemical sectors, to obtain necessary licences and certifications. This, he explained, would allow the agency to better regulate the use of chemicals and prevent unsafe practices.
Mr. James Kigbu, NAFDAC’s State Coordinator in Niger, said the engagement was aimed at fostering open dialogue and collaboration with business operators. “Your feedback today will help us in decision-making, improve processes and help us to manage your expectations,” Kigbu told participants.
Stakeholders at the event included representatives of the Agro Chemical Association, Industrial Pharmacy of Nigeria, Supermarket Owners Association, Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Islamic Medicine and Prophetic Medicine Association, and the National Association of Environmental Health Officers of Nigeria.
