A study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that counterfeit and substandard medicines contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa.
Medical experts are raising concerns over the impact of falsified medicines on public health in Nigeria, calling for a unified regulatory system across Africa and the implementation of Nigeria’s National Drug Distribution Guidelines.
The calls were made at the fourth thematic general assembly of pharmaceutical distributors in Lagos.
The distribution of falsified medicines remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, with porous borders, weak supply chains and unregulated drug markets creating opportunities for counterfeit products to reach consumers.
Major pharmaceutical markets, including Onitsha in Anambra State and Idumota in Lagos, handle large volumes of medicines, raising concerns over storage conditions, product tracking and distribution practices.
Beyond the efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to combat falsified medicines, pharmaceutical distributors across Africa are seeking stronger cooperation to secure medicine supply chains.
This formed the focus of discussions at the fourth thematic general assembly in Lagos, themed “Advancing Pharmaceutical Distribution in Africa: Building Secure Supply Chains Against Falsified Medicines.”
Participants stressed the need for stronger regulatory cooperation, improved distribution standards and measures to prevent falsified medicines from entering legitimate supply chains.
They also emphasised the importance of ensuring that patients have access to safe, effective and quality-assured medicines.
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Editor: Ada Ononye
