The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Paul Orhii

  • ‘How NAFDAC paid about N4billion debt in one year’

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) paid off an outstanding debt of about N4 billion and cleared over 6,000 applications within 12 months, its Director General Prof. (Mrs.) Mojisola Adeyeye has stated.

    She said the agency achieved the feat due to the spirit of transparency and accountability of the current administration.

    Between November 2017 and November 2018, the agency embarked on restructuring, which covered all the key departments to clear off all the mess inherited by Adeyeye, who was appointed on November 3, 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Adeyeye, who took over from Professor Paul Orhii as Director General of NAFDAC, is Professor of Pharmaceutics and Manufacturing for 21 years at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, United States of America.

    Speaking at a one-day interactive meeting with stakeholders from South West Zone on NAFDAC Regulated Products at House of Chiefs,Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan, Adeyeye on Tuesday reiterated commitment of the agency to continue to strengthen its regulatory framework to enhance the efficiency and improve its service delivery  to all its stakeholders.

    Read Also: NAFDAC seizes N60m fake drugs

    The NAFDAC, who said the agency has a statutory responsibility to safeguard public health, stressed it had imbibed best international practices and aligned with global regulatory standards.

    She urged all stakeholders to adhere to agency’s laws and regulations.

    “We are appealing to the industry to support NAFDAC by adhering to the Agency’s laws and regulations.

    “These are enforced to ensure that operations and activities are in line with NAFDAC’s extant laws and regulations. Self-audit and regular reviews of product information and labels are encouraged.

    “Companies should ensure that they remain a robust system, which allows for effective monitoring and control of their products that are already in trade.

    “This is necessary for effective intervention in the event of unexpected product defects, which may necessitate immediate product recall.

    “The responsibility of ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of regulated products does not lie solely with NAFDAC but with all stakeholders.”

  • Ortom emerges Benue PDP guber candidate

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has emerged as the 2019 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ortom defeated other three contestants; John Tondo, Paul Orhii and Felix Atume at the primary election.

    The Chairman, PDP Electoral Panel for the state, Hajia Zainab Maina announced that Ortom scored 2,210 votes to emerge winner, while Tondo got 475 votes and Atume and Orhii polled 44 and 10 votes respectively.

    No invalid votes were recorded during the election.

    Read Also: Air Force Jets destroys Boko Haram meeting venue

    According to her, the election is free, fair, peaceful and conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution.

    In his acceptance speech, Ortom commended the delegates for re-electing him as the party candidate, adding that he would ensure unity among party members for the progress of PDP.

    He promised to carry all aspirants along for growth and development of the state for the future generations to benefit.

    Ortom promised to carry all stakeholders along in tackling insecurity in the state in order to ensure safety of lives and property.

    He also urged those who lost in the contest to support the party candidates so as to ensure victory in the 2019 general elections.

  • NAFDAC arrests suspects

    NAFDAC arrests suspects

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested one Mr Oresanya Ademola for posing as the agency staff.

    Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, who spoke to journalist in Lagos yesterday, said the suspect had on him a fake badge with which he defrauded one Mr Reuben, a medicine store owner at Sabo, Sagamu, Ogun State, of some money.

    He alleged that the suspect had issued a forged NAFDAC letter and certificate of recognition to Mr Reuben, thereby raising his curiosity.

    Orhii said another impostor, one Mr Olawale Nurudeen Shittu, was also arrested by the agency for forgery, false claims as well as illegal advertising of unregistered herbal products.

    Shittu, who resides at 19, Railway Bypass High Level, Makurdi, Benue State, Orhii said, was arrested in Lagos while presenting a forged NAFDAC notification of product registration of a Bitters purported to be manufactured by Heritage International Therapy Limited located at 84, Karimu Adeyemi Street, Off Akinyode Road, Alagbado, Lagos.

    The name and address of the company were verified but they are be non-existent, he said

    The NAFDAC boss said Mr Shittu has been enticing unsuspecting people to buy his products at his premises, which serves as clinic to diagnose patient of ailments.

    “The suspect similarly uses Abiola Nature Therapy Limited located at 7, Tafawa Balewa Street, Jos, Plateau State, for sale and illegal advertisement of the products.”

    Dr Orhii said Mr Shittu carries out his nefarious activities with one Alhaji Abiola of Abiola Nature Therapy, who is presently at large.

    The DG warned the public not to take unregistered products, adding that they should be vigilant of dubious people, who parade themselves as the agency staff.

    He said the suspected impersonator and fraudster will be handed over to the police for prosecution.

    Reacting to his arrest, Mr Ademola said he veered to impersonation because of “frustration”.

    “It was frustration. That led me into it,” he said.

    He said he was relieved of his job with a microfinance bank, adding that this brought untold hardship that led him into impersonation.

    The father of three said he was caught while trying to extort money from a medicine store as a NAFDAC staff.

    “I have only collected N20, 000 before I was caught,” he said.

    Ademola, 41, who claimed he started impersonating the agency officials last month, said he feels bad because he has tarnished his good name.

    Mr Shittu, 34, said his organisation registered two of their three products with the agency, adding that nobody told them that the registration of the last product was faked.

    “It was the agent, Mr Ayo who did the registration that made a mess of the third one. We did not know. We registered our products since 2011 and this is the second time we are renewing the registration,” he said.

    He said he was arrested in Lagos on Friday after he was told to report to the agency Lagos office from Makurdi.

    Shittu said his company did the advertisement in line with the agency’s guidelines.

     

     

  • NAFDAC certifies 50,000 products in 2013

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said on Tuesday it certified no fewer than 50,000 products last year.

    The NAFDAC Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, said the agency needs to continuously build the capacity of its laboratory staff to improve their competence to meet world regulatory standards.

    Orhii spoke at the capacity building workshop organised by Merck Millipore Bio-monitoring and Lab Water Technologies in Lagos.

    NAFDAC, he said attached great importance to the quality of regulatory framework and staff training.

    The Deputy Director, Laboratory Services, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abiodun Falana, said the aim of laboratories is to generate and certified products’ quality for the country.

    She said the trainees, who were selected from seven laboratories across the country would make certification of products easier.

  • Nigeria gets international pharmaceutical certification

    Nigeria gets international pharmaceutical certification

    Nigeria has obtained the WHO prequalification to join the league of global pharmaceutical players in bulk supply sector. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on what it took to get there.

    NIGERIA has become a major player in the league of global pharmaceutical players in bulk supply sector. One of its pharmaceutical companies has obtained World Health Organisation’s (WHO) pre-qualification and WHO certification in Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

    With this certification, the country can rub shoulders with other international big chains in supplying billions of US dollars worth of medicines purchased by or through international procurement agencies  such as UNICEF, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and UNITAID  for distribution in resource-limited countries.

    The journey started in 2011, when the Director General the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii led a delegation of 11 pharmaceutical companies to Geneva, the seat of WHO Prequalification Inspection Team; to meet with WHO officials.  The companies are Evans, Swipha, Neimeth, May & Baker, Fidson, Emzor, Juhel, Chi, Arab Chem, Daily Need and DrugField.

    At the meeting, the officials of the companies met with WHO officials who enlightened them on its mode of operation, and what are expected to be in place before a company can be issued with Pre-qualification certification.

    A year after the trip, WHO officials visited the companies and endorsed only five of them as showing potentials for the certification. These are Evans, Swipha, Chi, May & Baker, and Fidson Healthcare Plc. They met WHO condition for prequalification. But none yet, qualified for its certification in Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

    With the strong belief that Nigerian pharmaceutical companies have what it takes to obtain the cGMP, which among other benefits would assist the sector to access the 200 billion intervention fund, which will boost their production capacity and also enable them become global player in the industry; NAFDAC set a task for itself- stimulate improvement of quality of locally produced medicines and build capacity of manufacturers to succeed in the prequalification.

    Orhii then invited the WHO PQT (Prequalification Team) over, to help ‘monitor’, ‘fine tune’ and ‘whip into line’ the pharmaceutical companies.

    This specific co-operation between WHO Prequalification Team and NAFDAC aimed at stimulating improvement of quality of locally produced medicines and build capacity of manufacturers to international standard yielded some results.

    The team pointed out to all the parties, some of the areas they need to firm up. NAFDAC did not rest on its oars. It actively participated in capacity strengthening process and its inspectors closely collaborated with the WHO Prequalification Team. Then the break through occurred.

    Swipha Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha) submitted its pre-submission GMP for auditing. NAFDAC inspectors saw some loop holes and played an active role in verification of corrective actions. The agency then invited the Prequalification Team Inspectors. Swipha was assisted by WHO Prequalification Team to develop, document and produce medicines meeting quality standards required by WHO.

    The company was closely monitored to ensure adherence to the recommended quality standards. Then the agency re-invited the WHO Prequalification Team. The team audited that. It adopted same. And awarded the company- Swipha, WHO cGMP

    By that, Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha) has become the first Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer that has demonstrated an acceptable level of compliance with stringent WHO cGMP. It is now considered to be operating at an acceptable level of compliance with WHO Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines for the manufacturers of drugs (oral solid dosage forms).

  • PHOTO: Utomi, Orhii, others at a book launch

    PHOTO: Utomi, Orhii, others at a book launch

  • President draws battle line with media over unregistered drugs

    President draws battle line with media over unregistered drugs

    President Goodluck Jonathan is threatening to shut down any electronic media organisation advertising substandard and unregistered drugs.

    He has already directed the appropriate government agencies to watch out for errant media houses for sanction with a view to proving to all the readiness of his administration to eradicate counterfeit and fake drugs in the country.

    Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said yesterday in Abuja that the president was ‘disturbed’ by the indiscriminate advertising of such drugs.

    “The president held a meeting with some of us (ministers) a few weeks ago on the issue and the President is disturbed that even while he is watching the TV, he sees all manner of people advertising or organising trade fairs,” Chukwu said.

    He added: “I’ve told people to be monitoring all stations so that we can get one to use as a scapegoat. We can’t continue to live this way. We need to have a legal channel against these manufacturers. It’s unfortunate that if you check, we have educated people, doctors and pharmacists working in those companies and yet they will take these products to illiterates in the market to handle.

    “We are not going to deprive people of their means of livelihood but if you say that you are a distributor of patent medicine, once you follow the regulations we’ll allow you handle the drugs that you are registered and licensed to handle in the correct premises.”

    The Director General of Nigerian Agency for Food, Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, said that the Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs was established to check people from importing, manufacturing and distributing or selling fake and counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.

    The taskforce has powers to seal up any premises used for such illegalities.

  • Agency parades counterfeiters

    Agency parades counterfeiters

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested Mr Chijoke Nwagu Victor for manufacturing fake cough syrup.

    The agency’s Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii, said the counterfeiter’s flat has been sealed off.

    Orhii said a Lebanese, Mr Haider Saleh, was also arrested for distribution and sale of some unregistered cosmetic products.

    The products, he said, were concealed in a warehouse at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.

    He said the agency has also intercepted a one-by-two feet container marked MSKU 7873861 of pharmaceuticals imported by Ngod’s Success Ventures.

    The NAFDAC boss said the agency seized 58 cartons of printed plastic packaging materials concealed in a one-by-40 feet container for fake cosmetic product to fake the original products.

    “The importer is John Dike Ventures,” he added.

  • First cancer machine for Nigeria

    Nigeria will soon get its first positron emission tomograhy (PET) scanner to diagnose and treat cancer, a former Lagos State Health Commissioner Leke Pitan has said.

    The doctor said most cancer cases were not accurately diagnosed because there were no facilities to do so in the country.

    Dr Pitan spoke in Lagos at a capacity-building workshop on the regulation of radiopharmaceuticals, organised by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and MeCure Health Care.

    He said an indigenous company would soon install an aglodrum to manufacture pharmaceutical products to provide materials for PET scanners to operate.

    Dr Pitan said one aglodrum can service 15 PET scanners, adding: “The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends one PET scanner for one million people. By this, Lagos State will need 15 PET scanners to diagnose cancer cases.”

    The former commissioner urged investors to invest in health care for more PET scanners to be installed in Nigeria.

    He advised NAFDAC to be the regulator and facilitator to accelerate the progress of the sector.

    NAFDAC’s Director-General Dr Paul Orhii said radiopharmaceuticals were medicinal formulations containing radioisotopes for administration in humans for diagnosis or therapy.

    He said they were a special group of drugs, which contains a radioactive material, called the nuclide.

    Orhii said: “Due to the extreme sensitivity of the detection modality, they are applied only in trace amounts predominantly for diagnostic purposes and have shown an excellent safety profile.”

    The NAFDAC chief said the agency’s mandate was to ensure the regulation of the product, which has unique features, such as specialised production methods, quality control, dosing, radioactivity and waste disposal.

    Orhii said: “The aim of regulating radiopharmaceuticals, just as every other regulated product, is to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of radiopharmaceutical.

    “Globally, regulation of radiopharmaceuticals is faced with challenges. Some of these include but not limited to the inability of a regulatory authority to make assessment of safety, efficacy and quality required for radiopharmaceuticals basically due to lack of regulatory capacity.”

  • NAFDAC labs get international accreditation

    NAFDAC labs get international accreditation

    NAFDAC’s Mycotoxin and Pesticides Residues Laboratories in Oshodi, Lagos, have obtained the ISO 17025 accreditation. It was conducted by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation.

    Director, Special Duties, Abubakar Jimoh, in a statement, described it as a major breakthrough for the agency.

    With the accreditation, the laboratories are recognised internationally.

    NAFDAC Director-General Dr. Paul Orhii said: “With the ISO 17025 accreditation of the two laboratories, agricultural exports tested and certified by the agency will now be accepted worldwide without query. This is a major boost to the country’s image and the agricultural transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

    “Products analysed for export purpose by the two laboratories will now carry a special logo.”

     

    Some other laboratories of the agency are undergoing international accreditation, which would boost current efforts to get some pharmaceutical companies to obtain World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualification. I thank the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation for their support in attaining this great feat.”