The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has commended Nigeria for improving the quality of drugs produced locally, a statement has said.
The statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Mrs Josephine Kamara, USAID’s Senior Development Outreach and Communications Specialist, said Nigeria had done well in regulating the sector.
It said USAID’s Director, Michael Harvey, gave the commendation when he presented the International Organisation for Standardisation quality certificate to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Central Drug Control Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos.
``The report estimates that fake tuberculosis and malaria drugs alone kill 700,000 people a year, including in Nigeria, and tackling the scourge of illegal medicines in Nigeria is a daunting task.
``The good news is that Nigeria is taking concrete steps to turn back the tide.
``Nigeria is not just improving the quality of medicines it produces, but is also testing to make sure imported medicines are in fact what they say they are.
``Nigeria is doing this in accordance with internationally accepted certifications so that this supervision is credible to Nigerians as well as the outside world,’’ the statement quoted Harvey as saying.
The statement said the certification of NAFDAC’s laboratory was supported by USAID, adding that it is the latest example of USAID’s ongoing effort to contribute to the quality of medicines in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.
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