NAFDAC Urges Rational Use of Medicines to Curb Drug Misuse, Strengthen Patient Safety
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for the rational use of medicines as a critical measure to improve patient safety and enhance public health outcomes across Nigeria.
Speaking at a sensitisation programme held in Mushin, Lagos, on Wednesday, the Director of Pharmacovigilance at NAFDAC, Uchenna Elemuwa, who represented the Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, warned that the misuse of medicines poses significant risks to human health.
Elemuwa noted that while medicines remain essential for saving lives and improving quality of life, their improper use could lead to severe and sometimes life-threatening consequences.
“Medicines save lives, reduce suffering, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. However, when medicines are misused, overused, underused, or improperly prescribed, they can become dangerous and even life-threatening,” she said.
She identified self-medication, antibiotic misuse, incorrect dosing, and the circulation of counterfeit drugs as major contributors to irrational medicine use in Nigeria. According to her, these practices often result in treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, prolonged illness, increased healthcare costs, disability, and preventable deaths.
Elemuwa further raised concern over the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, warning that the misuse of antibiotics is making previously treatable infections more difficult and expensive to manage.
She explained that pharmacovigilance remains a key tool in safeguarding public health, describing it as the science of detecting, assessing, and preventing adverse drug reactions.
“No medicine is completely free from side effects. However, through effective pharmacovigilance systems, harmful reactions can be identified early and necessary actions taken to protect the public,” she added.
She urged healthcare workers and members of the public to report any suspected adverse drug reactions, stressing that timely reporting could save lives.
“Patient safety begins with the rational use of medicines. Medicines are meant to heal, not harm,” she said.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Tunbosun Aruwe, commended NAFDAC’s efforts in promoting safe medication practices and improving healthcare awareness at the grassroots level.
He noted that while medicines are beneficial, improper use without proper monitoring could result in serious health complications.
Aruwe reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery through free medical outreach programmes, improved primary healthcare facilities, and partnerships aimed at enhancing public health.
He encouraged participants to extend the message of safe medicine use to their communities, saying, “Let us all become ambassadors of safe medicine use. Together, we can build a healthier Mushin, a safer Lagos State, and a stronger Nigeria.”
The event brought together healthcare professionals, community leaders, and other stakeholders focused on strengthening pharmacovigilance and promoting responsible medicine use across the country.
NAFDAC Urges Rational Use of Medicines to Curb Drug Misuse, Strengthen Patient Safety