The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has partnered with the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Kware, Sokoto State, to strengthen pharmacovigilance practices.
The partnership is aimed at improving medication safety and enhancing healthcare service delivery through better monitoring and reporting systems nationwide.
Newsmen report that the partnership focuses on enhancing pharmacovigilance within the hospital through improved medication monitoring, adverse drug reaction reporting, patient safety measures and healthcare service delivery.
Speaking during a visit to the hospital in Kware Local Government Area on Friday, NAFDAC State Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulsalam Lawal, described the partnership as strategic, considering the institution’s critical national role.
Lawal emphasised the commitment of both institutions to strengthening collaboration and promoting the safe, effective and responsible use of medicines within the hospital, while supporting broader public health objectives.
Responding, the Medical Director of FNPH Kware, Dr Sulaiman Baguda, expressed delight over the partnership, stressing that the collaboration would improve medication safety and adverse drug reaction monitoring nationwide.
Baguda said the hospital had continued providing efficient and affordable healthcare services to patients from different parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries, thereby strengthening access to specialised medical care.
He added that the engagement would further strengthen drug administration practices, describing NAFDAC as an important ally in healthcare service provision and efforts to improve patient outcomes.
The medical director said the hospital provides integrated healthcare services beyond psychiatric care and hosts specialists across several medical fields, delivering affordable, patient-friendly and specialised services to citizens.
He said the hospital had an equipped Intensive Care Unit, molecular laboratory and Regional Women and Children Drug Dependence Treatment Centre serving vulnerable populations with diverse healthcare needs.
“The hospital has world-class equipment such as a mobile digital x-ray machine, a mobile ultrasound machine, ultrasonography machine, a digitalised medical and diagnostic records system, occupational therapy equipment and modern laboratory tools,” Baguda said.