Globally, governments are responsible
for establishing strong national medicines regulatory authorities with a
clear mission, solid legal basis, appropriate organisational structure
and the capacity to exert effective market control.
However, the resolve to develop the
Nigerian healthcare market and ensure the safety of consumers through
quality of products presents a challenge to be tackled not only for
regulatory bodies alone.
It is in view of this that the academia,
industry players and regulatory bodies have been tasked to seek ways to
remove complexities hindering the provision of safe, efficacious and
cost-effective medicines and encourage more research in local herbal
drugs in the country.
Speaking at a conference tagged
‘Medicine Regulation of Claims,’ Paul Orhii, director general, NAFDAC,
emphasised the need for standardising herbal therapy in the country
given the pharmacological effect of various herbal products available to
consumers.
Orhii, while speaking at the conference
organised by Reckitt Benckiser in conjunction with National Agency for
Food and Drugs Agency and Control (NAFDAC) and the University of Ibadan,
explained that many herbal products may have serious side effects when
used in excessive amounts/combined with other herbs or drugs.
The NAFDAC boss noted that a committee
of experts has been set up to identify best ways to assist manufacturers
meet national and international standards of safety, efficacy and
quality.
“It is rare to have the academia,
industry and regulatory bodies sit together to dialogue on the issue of
medical practice and herbal medicine.
I am optimistic that the
conference will foster greater collaboration and partnership among
stakeholders in the overall interest of consumers in Nigeria and the
rest of Africa,” Orhii added.
Mike Oye, a naturopath, noted that the
approach to healthcare adopted in nations like China, India and Japan
has resulted in making their people healthier and have improved life
expectancy rate.
According to Oye, “Students of medicine
and pharmacy should be exposed more to plant taxonomy and encouraged to
do more research on local medicinal herbs to enhance medicinal practice.
We need to develop our age-long medicinal practices.
“Many diseases considered incurable have
had its curative tendencies through medicinal plants. This is the case
with Arthesimin plant which is used in the manufacture of malarial
drugs.
We need to strengthen our research base in local medicine so as
to contribute positively towards improving the nation’s healthcare
sector.”
There were insightful contributions from
members of the healthcare professions, representatives of
pharmaceutical companies and members of the organised private sector.
Chief among them include Olubukola Iyanda, a UK-based hospital/community
pharmacy practitioner; Titilope Owolabi, deputy director (drug
evaluation & research) NAFDAC; Rahul Murgai, managing director,
Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited; Aomesh Bhatt, regulatory &
medical affairs director, Reckitt Benckiser, Europe, to mention a few.
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