The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday launched three major health initiatives aimed at improving maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition, as well as strengthening the nation’s fight against substandard and falsified medical products.
The projects officially launched in Abuja on Tuesday include the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health plus Nutrition (MNCH+N) Initiative, the Office of Women and Children’s Health, and the National Action Plan on Prevention, Detection, and Response to Substandard and Falsified Medical Products (2023–2027).
Speaking at the launching, the Director General of NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the initiatives as interconnected pillars designed to protect the most vulnerable population in the country, including women, infants, and children.
According to her, they would ensure that every medicine and nutrition product in circulation meets the highest standards of safety and quality.
“This is about saving lives,” Prof. Adeyeye said. “No mother should die from preventable causes, no child should suffer from malnutrition, and no patient should be harmed by falsified medical products.”
She affirmed that the initiatives would help in combating drug misuse and unsafe cosmetics.
The NAFDAC boss, who shared her own near-death childbirth experience caused by ineffective oxytocin, emphasized that the new frameworks were rooted in personal conviction and scientific evidence.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, in his remarks commended NAFDAC for aligning its work with national priorities on maternal and child survival and disclosed that maternal mortality has dropped by 72 percent in 172 local government areas, while newborn deaths have fallen by 10 percent in the past two years.
“These initiatives demonstrate our unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of women and children across Nigeria. They will strengthen access to quality medicines, improve nutrition, and rebuild public trust in our health system., ” Prof. Pate said.
According to Pate, the initiatives would also empower health workers, enhance community engagement, and ensure safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines across the country.
Chairman of the NAFDAC Governing Council, Dr Mansur Kabir, lauded Prof. Adeyeye’s leadership and said the initiatives marks a major milestone in public health history.
According to Kabir, before current reforms, about 85 percent of medicines in circulation were substandard, a figure that has now dropped below 20 percent due to improved regulation.
“This could not have come at a better timeMaternal mortality remains high, and we must continue to invest in women’s and children’s health to secure our nation’s future,” he said. “
Providing an overview of the MNCH+N Initiative, Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances Directorate at NAFDAC, Dr Rametu Momodu, explained that the programme would ensure the availability and quality of life-saving commodities — including oxytocin, misoprostol, magnesium sulphate, chlorhexidine gel, and essential vaccines.
Momodu said NAFDAC would strengthen Good Manufacturing and Distribution Practices, enhance surveillance, and promote local production of fortified foods and nutrition supplements in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The representative of the Gates Foundation, Mrs. Rodio Diallo, congratulated NAFDAC on its reforms and reaffirmed the Foundation’s support to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
