NAFDAC Governing Council pledges to upgrade,expand laboratory facilities

The newly inaugurated Governing Council of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has pledged to upgrade and expand the laboratory facilities of the agency in order to boost the nation’s food, drugs and cosmetics export to other countries.

The council also promised to prioritise staff welfare and motivate the workforce to give their best to the agency, so as to achieve the mandate of the agency which is to safeguard the health of the nation.

Addressing journalists in Lagos on Wednesday after a visit to the agency’s facilities in the state, Chairman of NAFDAC Governing Council, Hon. Inuwa Abdulkadir, pledged the desire of members to move the agency to a greater height by ensuring that the agency got the necessary support it needed to discharge its regulatory functions effectively.

“Our passion is to motivate our staff and provide them with working tools. We are so concerned and passionate about the welfare of the workforce because without motivating the staff, we cannot achieve anything”, he said.

Abdulkadir expressed concern over the rising cases of tramadol abuse in the country especially among the youth, while pledging the council’s support to the management of the agency in tackling the menace.

Welcoming the Governing Council, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, said the agency was set to launch a National Sensitisation Programme which would educate young people on the dangers inherent in abusing tramadol.

Adeyeye said the programme, which would be launched in Kano within one month would later be expanded to cover the six geographical zones of the country and would reach 54,000 people at the initial stage.

Adeyeye noted that the awareness programme to tackle the abuse of tramadol would later be expanded to reach six states and three senatorial districts.

“This pilot programme will reach about 54,000 people. In terms of the epidemic of tramadol, I am a big believer in doing grassroots sensitisation. We have just approved a National Sensitisation Programme, to be launched in Kano in about a month and the pilot programme will cover the six geographical zones, six states and three senatorial districts”, she said.

According to Adeyeye, “We (NAFDAC) will also meet with market people and motor union organisations, just to make sure that the message on tramadol is disseminated.”