The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says it has embarked on timely online registration of small and medium-sized enterprise products, to improve the sector.
The Agency’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
Adeyeye said: “Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, we now have faster time to get the products to the market.
“To approve or not to approve, its 90 days for food and 120 days for drugs, unless there is a complication with the drug.
“So, NAFDAC is doing a lot, our registration is online right now, we have about 145 applications that are being processed online, meaning you can actually use your cellphone to start the registration of your product.
“And, to pay online, get your Remita receipt and bring it to NAFDAC for the proper issuance of receipts.
“So, we are doing so many things, but the online registration will really ease time to approve medicines or food or any other registered product that we have.”
Adeyeye who said the agency would maintain its image by safeguarding the health of Nigerians, however, called on the National Assembly to ensure passage of the Drug Safety Bill for stiffer penalties.
She said: “The stiffer penalty, there is a bill that we are waiting for, but that bill has not been passed- the Drug Safety Bill.
“We are appealing of course, to the National Assembly, everybody is busy with campaigns right now, but after the campaign, I’m hoping that our distinguished gentlemen of the National Assembly will take the offence of falsification of medicine, bringing in illicit drugs into our country, very seriously, and give stiffer penalties.
“For example, if they say pay N200,000 or go to jail for one year, who is not going to pay the N200,000.
“But, if we look at this as affecting lives, destroying families, it will warrant stiff penalties, that is where we are right now.”
She also urged the Federal Government to increase the staff strength of the agency, to enable it function and serve the nation better.
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