The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stressed the importance of rational medicine use and improved pharmacovigilance systems to ensure patient safety. Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Uchenna Elemuwa, NAFDAC Director of Pharmacovigilance, made this known at a community sensitisation programme in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos. The event, themed “Rational Use of Medicines: Strengthening Pharmacovigilance for Patient Safety Public Health,” was organised in partnership with the Immunisation Plus and Malaria by Accelerating Coverage and Transmission (IMPACT).
Rational Use of Medicines as a Pillar of Healthcare
Adeyeye noted that rational use of medicines is a fundamental pillar of effective healthcare delivery. She warned that inappropriate medication use could lead to serious health consequences. “Rational use of medicine is when a patient uses a medication appropriately in line with their clinical needs, in the correct doses, for an adequate duration, and at the lowest possible cost to both the patient and the community,” she said. She highlighted dangers such as self-medication, misuse of antibiotics, polypharmacy, incorrect dosing, non-adherence to prescribed treatments, use of counterfeit medicines, and sharing medicines among family members. “Rational use of medication is critical, and that is why we are strongly against unhealthy practices that contribute significantly to treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, prolonged illness, and preventable deaths,” she added.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Pharmacovigilance
Adeyeye added that antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major global health threat, stems from misuse and overuse of antibiotics. She emphasised that pharmacovigilance plays a critical role in detecting, assessing, understanding, and preventing adverse effects and other medicine-related problems. “No medicine is completely free from side effects,” she said, noting that effective pharmacovigilance systems enable healthcare professionals and patients to identify harmful reactions early and report them for regulatory action. NAFDAC has strengthened post-marketing surveillance, safety monitoring systems, adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting mechanisms, risk communication strategies, and public sensitisation. She urged participants and the public to actively report ADRs, stating that “a single adverse drug reaction report can save thousands of lives.” She also called for collaborative efforts to strengthen rational medicine use and pharmacovigilance through continuous education for healthcare workers and public awareness against self-medication and antibiotic misuse.
Adverse Drug Reactions: What Communities Should Know
Professor Adekunle Oreagba, a Pharmacy and Pharmacology expert from the University of Lagos and South-West Coordinator of ADR, spoke on “Introduction to ADR and Pharmacovigilance: What Every Community Member Should Know.” He explained that ADRs are harmful effects that occur after taking medicines correctly as prescribed. He noted that many people experience unusual symptoms after medication but fail to report them, making it difficult for health authorities to monitor medicine safety. “Reporting adverse drug reactions is essential for protecting public health,” he said, adding that information from patients and professionals helps regulators identify safety concerns. He identified polypharmacy (use of multiple medications) as a major risk factor for ADRs, along with vulnerability in children and older adults, whose organs are still developing or who take multiple medications. Individuals with kidney or liver issues are also at risk. He advised the public to seek medical attention and report symptoms like fever, diarrhoea, skin rashes, stomach pain, or other unusual discomforts after medication use.
Local Government Support
The Chairman of Mushin LGA, Tunbosun Aruwe, commended NAFDAC for educating stakeholders on critical health issues affecting the common man. The programme aimed to enhance community understanding and participation in pharmacovigilance.
