Based on the prevailing menace of substandard and adulterated medical products flooding the markets, especially in low income countries, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)  has commended the Principal Investigator/Lead Partner of CDDDP, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola on the sucess of the international conference and re-emphasized its mission of building foundations essential for a healthier world by ensuring access to quality medicines.

This was made known by the Chief of Party Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) Programme, USP, Dr Chimezie Anyakora at a recently concluded International Conference, organised by the Centre for Drug Discovery, Development and Production (CDDDP), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan.

Dr Anyakora who spoke to CEOAfrica in an interview explained that unrestricted access to quality and essential medicine and medical products are quite germane to achieving a healthier world, adding that the mandate of USP is to raise the standard for quality medicines and ensure people have easy access to these medicines.

United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a non-profit organisation that has worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for over two decades to help developing countries address critical issues related to poor quality medicines. USP works internationally, largely through agreements with other regulatory bodies, manufacturer associations and others agencies.

Chief of Party Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) Programme, USP, Dr Chimezie Anyakora

Dr Anyakora explained that one of the major programmes of USP in Nigeria is to promote the quality of medicines produced in the country and imported into the country through partnership with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory agencies as well as manufacturers of drugs in the country.

He said “What we (USP) are doing is to make sure that the medicines Nigerians take are of good quality, because what cures diseases is good quality medicines. We do this by working with NAFDAC, medicine manufacturers to make sure they produce quality medicines; we also work with the academia.

“USP is here to coordinate, mobilise, stimulate and catalyse the process of access to quality medicine. USP is a global organisation and we have local staff that are passionate about standard medicines and good health; and we are working hard to make that happen. Ina few years’ time, we will see the improvement of the pharmaceutical sector everywhere in the world.”  

Dr Anyakora commended CDDDP for organising the conference which was themed: Improving Access to Quality Medicines through Appropriate Legislations and Policies. While describing the conference as enlightening and timely, he noted that the CDDDP, through the conference, has pioneered a process that would rid Nigeria of substandard medicines in a few years’ time.

The USP Personnel expressed the need for Nigerians to engage more in the production and exportation of quality medicines, noting that substandard and counterfeit medicines flood the Nigerian market and drug stores as a result of the supply gap of quality products. “The more good manufacturers of quality medicines we have, the less fake drugs will circulate. When there is a supply gap of good medicines, peddlers of fake medicines will come in,” he revealed.

Dr Anyakora however commended the efforts of the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole for his numerous efforts in improving the country’s health sector. He said “This Minister is doing very well. He is working hard to make sure that Nigerians are producing medicines of good quality and he is ensuring that peddlers of fake medicines are reduced to the barest minimum.”

While reiterating the importance of quality medicines to improved health, Dr Anyakora urged Nigerians and stakeholders in the health sector to work together to ensure that people have unlimited access to quality medicines in the country. “People die every day because they don’t have access to quality medicine and this may have adverse effect on the economy. So we all need to work together to make sure good medicine is accessible to everyone,” he advised.