The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has embarked on sensitisation of students on dangers of drug abuse and consumer safety in Sokoto State.
The agency’s state Coordinator, Mr Garba Adamu, said during the sensitisation on Wednesday that the exercise was aimed at enlightening students and staff on dangers of drug abuse, misuse, as well as consumer safety issues on products.
He noted that participants needed to be sensitised on buying products with right NAFDAC registration, checking expiry dates on regulated products.
He added that “it is a deliberate effort by the agency to sensitise and enlighten the public, especially the young ones, on their roles in safeguarding the health of the nation.
“This is achievable by preventing drug abuse and reporting the circulation of unregistered or expired regulated products they see.”
Adamu said that participants were also educated on how to use the newly introduced mobile platform “Med Safety Mobile App” to report adverse drug reaction or any reaction to authorities.
He noted that adverse reactions could also occur after using cosmetics, herbal products or other products.
The coordinator said that the campaign would be sustained to ensure that children were adequately informed and guided to be the next generation of productive members of the society by avoiding drug abuse and misuse.
He explained that NAFDAC had made it easier for businesses in the country to register their products through the NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS).
Adamu noted that the registration process was now made easier by NAFDAC on its e-registration platform referred to as NAPAMS.
“The e-registration is seamless, interactive and clients can get real time feedback and responses at every step thus can always monitor the progress and status of their application anywhere online.
“Product safety, quality, wholesomeness competitiveness and consumer confidence are among the numerous advantages of product registration with NAFDAC.” he added.
In his remark, the Desk Officer in charge of sensitisations in Sokoto, Mr Surajo Magori, said schools visited so far comprised Nana Girls Secondary School and Sultan Bello Secondary School.
He added other schools visited were Federal Government College, Government Girls College and Sheikh Gummi Memorial College all within Sokoto metropolis.
Magori said pamphlets and posters were distributed aimed at safeguarding the health of all Nigerians.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beside students and teachers other participants comprised members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and schools’ community members.
