FEC approves pharmaco vigilance policy

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the national pharmaco-vigilance policy to ensure proper management of adverse drug reactions in the country.

Briefing state house correspondents after the council meeting chaired by the Vice-President Namadi Sambo, on Wednesday, the Minister of Health, Dr Onyebuchi Chukwu, explained the need for the documentation of adverse drug reaction reports and follow-ups as well as further research into such findings.

FEC’s endorsement of the policy follows an earlier approval by the National Council on Health, the highest policy formulation body in the health sector, in July at its 55th meeting in Abuja, said the Minister.

Explaining the difference between what National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is doing and the pharmaco-vigilance policy, the Minister stated that the National Pharmacovigilance Centre is the body established to regulate the drugs used in the country.

The Minister sited example of the recent rape incident in Lagos where a group of boys allegedly drugged a young lady with Rophynol.

He said no more would such drugs be allowed to happen in the country.

The NAFDAC’s boss, Dr Paul Orhii, had recently expressed concern that adverse drug reactions in the country were under detected and under reported, noting that the National Pharmacovigilance Centre had only received a little over 10,000 Adverse  Drug Reaction (ADR) reports since the inception of the programme.

This, he claims translates to about eight reports per million population per year.

Oron-Calabar road at N671.4 million

Also, the Minister of state for Niger-delta affairs, Zainab Kuchi, announced the council’s approval of the design of the Oron-Calabar road, being Section 4 of the East/West road at a cost of N671.4 million.

The road is a dual carriage way, which traverses creeks and opens up inland towns and communities. It will also enable the federal ministry of works to connect the road to the Benue Bridge and reduce journey hours, she explained.