By Nkechi Eze
In a renewed effort to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system and improve access to safe medicines, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed readiness to partner with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure that Nigerians have better access to quality medicines in hospitals across the country.
The commitment was made by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of NHIA, Kelechi Ohiri, to her office in Abuja on Thursday.
Prof. Adeyeye explained that the proposed collaboration aligns with the Presidential directive aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage for Nigerians, stressing that stronger institutional synergy is crucial to improving the availability and safety of medicines within the healthcare system.
She emphasized the need for both NAFDAC and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to be fully involved in the procurement processes of medicines for hospitals and health facilities. According to her, such collaboration would play a critical role in preventing the circulation of counterfeit or expired drugs within healthcare facilities.
The NAFDAC Director-General noted that the regulatory mandates of NAFDAC and PCN go beyond approval processes, explaining that both agencies are responsible for monitoring compliance within the pharmaceutical sector and enforcing standards that guarantee the safety of medicines available to the public.
She stated that the agencies possess the authority to sanction defaulters, revoke licenses, and, when necessary, shut down pharmaceutical companies that fail to comply with established Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
Prof. Adeyeye also expressed concern about the challenges faced by Nigerians in accessing quality healthcare services, particularly by patients enrolled under the NHIA scheme. She described the experiences of many patients seeking medical care as difficult and, in some cases, traumatic.
Reaffirming NAFDAC’s commitment to improving healthcare outcomes, she assured that the agency would continue to strengthen partnerships with relevant government institutions to ensure that safe, effective, and high-quality medicines remain available to Nigerians.
She added that the collaboration supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes improved healthcare access and the overall well-being of citizens.
In his remarks, NHIA Director-General Dr. Ohiri commended Prof. Adeyeye for her leadership and sustained efforts in safeguarding public health through the regulation of medicines and other consumable products.
He noted that effective healthcare delivery requires strong collaboration between regulatory bodies and service providers, explaining that his visit was aimed at reviewing the existing Memorandum of Understanding between NHIA and NAFDAC and exploring ways to deepen institutional cooperation.
Dr. Ohiri said the discussions also focused on ongoing reforms within NHIA designed to enhance healthcare access and strengthen the medicines supply initiative across the country.
He further highlighted the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund as a critical intervention aimed at expanding health insurance coverage and addressing the healthcare needs of Nigerians, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
While appreciating Prof. Adeyeye for drawing attention to the challenges faced by patients, Dr. Ohiri expressed confidence that the ongoing reforms within NHIA would address many of the issues currently affecting access to healthcare services and medicines across the country.
