The United Nations office for Drugs and Crime has pledged to assist the
National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to
realise the aspects of its mandate to the benefit of Nigerians.
The new Country Respresentative of the UN body in Nigeria Cristina
Albertin stated this when she paid a courtesy visit on the
Director-General of NAFDAC Dr. Paul Orhi at the Agency’s corporate
Headquarters in Abuja.
Orhii who was excited at the visit implored the country Representive to
bring her rich background and vast experience to bear in her new
assignment maintaining that NAFDAC will maximally cooperate and
collaborate with her to make her work easier and beneficial to the people.
The NAFDAC boss further enumerated the challenges of Narcotics issues
especially in the areas of diversion and lack of fund to determine the
country’s needs of Narcotic medication that can be ordered for both
medicinal and scientific purposes.
He lamented that even with the increasing number of people that suffer
from diseases that these medications are meant for, such as
cardio-vascular diseases, non-communicable diseases, sickle cell anaemia,
accidents and cancer, there was the fear of not bringing in enough to
avoid their diversion and also inadequate knowledge of pharmacists on
storage, prescription and administration by the doctors and nurses and
proper documentation.
In her response, the UN chief promised to work with NAFDAC and other
related agencies in Nigeria to ensure that the medications are available
for those who need them, help to evolve ways to stop diversion and
control against illicit uses.
Albertin has been with United Nations for over 25years. She has over the
years worked in countries like Peru, Colombia, Vietnam, Moscow, Argentina
amongst others.