NAFDAC to prioritise herbal solutions development, warns of severe manpower deficiency
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has revealed that it will be prioritising the development of herbal medical solutions in 2025.
This was disclosed yesterday at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday where the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye addressed journalists.
The NAFDAC DG raised a red flag over the manpower crisis, which it warns is crippling its ability to efficiently protect the health of Nigerians.
She noted that the workforce, currently at 2,000 personnel, is short of the over 10,000 the agency requires for its operations.
She lamented the strain on existing personnel, saying, “We burn candles on both ends and overstress ourselves because we have to safeguard the health of Nigerians. We’re not asking for 10,000 staff immediately; we’re asking for double or triple what we currently have.”
Adeyeye outlined five strategic pillars that will guide NAFDAC’s activities. These include strong governance and leadership, maternal, newborn, and child health, institutionalising best practices, ensuring the safety and quality of regulated products, and monitoring the supply chain.
Meanwhile, Adeyeye explained the agency’s accomplishments while emphasising the need to strengthen regulatory systems.
“This realisation has sharpened my focus on strategically working towards continued strengthening of the regulatory system as a needed path toward safeguarding the health of the nation,” she said.
She said NAFDAC plans to prioritise maternal and child health by focusing on pediatric antimalarials, antibiotics, and medicines to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and reduce child morbidity.
The DG further said that Manufacturers will be incentivised to develop pediatric medicines and pursue World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification.
On herbal medicine, she said, “The agency will increase the attention for our herbal medicines by seeking grants for clinical trials of already listed products. Collaborations with the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) are being initiated.
“In the next three years, categories of listed products that will be considered include medicines for malaria, sickle cell, urinary tract infection, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, immune boosting, skin infections. Other activities with NNMDA include Development of Nigerian Herbal Pharmacopoeia, development of Digital database of Nigerian Traditional Medicine and development of Nigeria Traditional Medicine FORMULARY,” she added.
The Director-General also stressed the importance of strong governance and leadership in maintaining a motivated and disciplined workforce, adding that training remains a top priority for staff.
