BY AISHA MUHAMMAD MAGAJI
In a bold move to tackle the persistent issue of counterfeit medicines, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has unveiled two new mobile technologies aimed at strengthening drug authentication across Nigeria’s North-East region.
During a two-day sensitisation workshop held in Gombe, NAFDAC introduced the “Scan to Verify” tool and the “Green Book App”, both designed to empower healthcare professionals and the general public to easily confirm the authenticity of medicines.
Representing the agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, at the event, the Director of Post-Marketing Surveillance, Bitrus Fraden, assured stakeholders that all drugs registered by NAFDAC are safe and available only through approved outlets.
According to Adeyeye, the Green Book App acts as a comprehensive digital registry containing all NAFDAC-approved medications. “If a product is not listed on the Green Book App, it is considered unregistered and possibly counterfeit,” she warned.
The workshop drew participants from across the healthcare sector, including pharmacists, patent medicine vendors, doctors, and regulators. It focused on raising awareness and encouraging the adoption of digital tools to safeguard public health.
Participants welcomed the initiative, describing it as a vital step toward reducing the circulation of fake medicines. Yakubu Yusuf and Hauwa Musa, two of the attendees, praised NAFDAC’s commitment, noting that the training would help restore public trust in the health system.
NAFDAC also reiterated its nationwide efforts to eliminate counterfeit drug markets, particularly in areas like Lagos and Onitsha, and called for greater public participation in reporting suspicious products.
The agency urged citizens to make use of its verification tools before purchasing or consuming any medication, stressing that technology will play a crucial role in the ongoing war against counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.
