Chinese Drugs Will Be Certified by NAFDAC before Use, Says Health Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has said that National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), will first clear and certify all medicines donated by the Chinese government to fight COVID-19.

He explained that the purpose of the medical team from China coming into the country is to provide technical support for the nation’s healthcare workers, especially on the tactics and strategies they used to reduce the cases of the disease in their country.

The minister, who made this known during the briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Friday said: “The team from China is under quarantine. We asked where they intend to observe the quarantine and they said they have a compound. So, we sent the NCDC to go and inspect the compound before they came.

“We also told them that every day the NCDC will have access whenever they like to come and inspect. So, that is what they have agreed to.

“Whatever it is that they brought will have to be certified by NAFDAC, also whatever medicines they brought. The medicines will be certified by NAFDAC before Nigerians will take those medicines.”

He said “Our main interest in these people is to see from a scientific point of view what actually the processes were that they used in their country. What are the tactics that they applied? This is because if you want to know something, you ask somebody who has suffered it before.

“They have various lessons and the learning that they have, we ourselves want these lessons. We want to know how they dealt with their problem. It is part of our own preparedness to protect our people.

“I have told them that even though they are in quarantine, they can join us by video conference. This way, we can begin to ask questions so that they don’t waste the period. So, as from next week, we will join by video conference so that we start asking them questions.”

(Judicial Sketch)