Factors Associated with Drug Counterfeit in Nigeria: A Twelve Year Review

Ubajaka, Chika Florence; Obi-Okaro, A. C.; Emelumadu, Obiageli Fidelia; Azumarah, Maureen N.; Ukegbu, A U; Ilikannu, Samuel O.

doi:10.9734/bjmmr/2016/21342

Cited by 15 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…There is a need to support and improve local drug manufacture for better accessibility, easier quality monitoring and ensuring that current good manufacturing practices are followed. This should reduce the incidence of counterfeiting since evidence suggests that up to 70% of drugs circulating in the country are imported with a similar proportion reported as being adulterated or fake . Qualified licensed pharmacists and other relevant personnel are needed to supervise and regulate the medicines supply chain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This should reduce the incidence of counterfeiting since evidence suggests that up to 70% of drugs circulating in the country are imported with a similar proportion reported as being adulterated or fake. [8,9] Qualified licensed pharmacists and other relevant personnel are needed to supervise and regulate the medicines supply chain. Pharmacy practice regulators need to be provided with adequate financial and human resources needed for proper monitoring at all levels and in all parts of the country.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Poor performance of medicines logistics and supply chain systems in a developing country context: lessons from Nigeria

Chukwu

Lemoha

2018

J Pharm Health Serv Res

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Objectives Access to affordable quality essential medicines in developing countries like Nigeria continues to be a challenge despite interventions by relevant stakeholders. Inadequate management of the medicines supply chain is a major contributing factor. This study aims at identifying indicators for the poor supply chain management (SCM) for medicines in Nigeria. Methods Quantitative and qualitative data from logistics companies and pharmacists practicing in Nigeria were obtained and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis respectively. Key findings Logistics companies are not adequately equipped and no monitoring is in place to ensure that standards are set and followed. About 84% of logistics companies had no set of standard operating procedures for medicines logistics. About 37% are capable of providing cold chain logistics depending on the duration. There was no form of regulation enforcing standards for medicines logistics. Pharmacists’ views suggest that poor logistics and SCM practices, weak regulation and policy implementation and lack of support for in‐country medical logisticians are factors affecting efficient SCM of medicines. Conclusions Indicators for poor SCM of medicines were identified, hence, the need for establishing measures for improvement. Such measures may include more political will in implementing policies, financing SCM of medicines, building in‐country skills and capacity in SCM of medicines, individualizing and segmenting medicines supply chains, and creating a regulatory body for certifying and professionalizing medical logistics companies, logisticians and supply chain managers in Nigeria. These may lead to better access to quality and affordable medicines.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poor performance of medicines logistics and supply chain systems in a developing country context: lessons from Nigeria

Chukwu

Lemoha

2018

J Pharm Health Serv Res

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“…Barriers to medicine quality assurance in LMICs and implications for UHC There are numerous barriers to medicine quality assurance in LMICs [31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. Using a construct based on a systems thinking approach, these can be grouped into five key inter-related domains as:…”

Section: Poor-quality Medicines: Counting the Costmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tackling the blind spot of poor-quality medicines in Universal Health Coverage

Orubu¹,

Ching²,

Zaman³

et al. 2020

J of Pharm Policy and Pract

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Background: Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is challenged by the prevalence of poor-quality medicines, those that either do not meet required specifications (substandard) or are outrightly fraudulent (falsified), especially in Low-and Middle-Income Countries, LMICs. Whereas poor-quality medicines are a significant burden in these countries, medicine quality still remains a neglected component of UHC programs. This article describes key barriers to quality medicines and presents five select approaches leveraging the scale-up of UHC for medicine quality assurance. Main body: Barriers to medicine quality assurance, while numerous, are described in five key interrelated domains as: low political priority, weak regulatory systems capacity, poor access to accredited facilities and licensed outlets, medicine manufacturing and other supply-chain challenges, and lack of public awareness. Five select approaches for leveraging the scale-up of UHC for medicine quality assurance in LMICs are (1): political commitment (2) strengthening the capacity of regulatory authorities and investment in detection technologies as part of national security (3); licensing of medicines outlets and expanding pharmacovigilance (4); strengthening the supply-chain; and (5) public awareness and participation. Conclusions: Unchecked, poor-quality medicines can jeopardize UHC. National governments in LMICs need to prioritize medicine quality assurance through enforcing policies, regulatory strengthening and investments in technologies. Healthcare facilities and insurance schemes under UHC also play critical roles through incorporating medicine quality assurance into procurement practices and by promoting awareness among beneficiaries. Tackling medicine quality with a committed systems approach will enhance progress towards UHC implementation.

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“…Moreover, since the start of industrialisation in Europe, the subsequent decline in the formulation and preparation of medicines in community pharmacy outlets led to the transfer of the production or manufacturing of medicines in the hands of business entities owned by non-professionals or businessmen. As explained below, with the proit motive as primary consideration, this control of production and distribution of medicines by non-professionals has and still is a facilitating factor for the trading of medicines by non-professionals on the streets through the channels as explained below [49][50].…”

Section: Trading Of Medicines By Non-licensed Entities and Non-profesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since informal traders have no means, knowledge or even interest in ascertaining the quality of the products they sell, this avenue gives unscrupulous licensed manufacturers to trade or get rid of their substandard products [41,[48][49][50][51].…”

Section: International Trade -On the Brink Of Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Risks Associated with International Trading of Medicines by Non-Licensed Entities and Non-Professionals

Malangu¹

2017

International Trade - On the Brink of Change

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The making, distribution and trading of medicines can be traced back as far as antiquity. When talking about trading, sale or dispensing of medicines, it is almost impossible to separate this topic with the profession of pharmacy or pharmacists. Although most countries introduced legislations that put the trading of medicines largely in the hand of licensed businesses and professionals mainly pharmacists, informal and international trading of medicines and related substances has continued to be practiced in almost all countries due to loopholes in legislations among other reasons. This chapter highlights the risks associated with the trading of medicines by unlicensed organisations and non-professionals. These risks include the production and sale of counterfeit medicines, encouraging abuse and misuse of medicines, anti-competitive behaviour and so on. The major indings are that concessions made to allow non-licensed businesses and nonprofessionals to trade in medicines have resulted in several consequences that are threatening the whole world. It is this realisation that has prompted the recommendation that courage from decision makers is required for them to take a stand and hand over back the trading of medicines irmly in the hands of licensed professionals while outlawing loopholes that sustained the trade of medicines by unlicensed entities and non-professionals.Keywords: informal, illegal, trade, medicines, non-licensed, non-professional IntroductionThe making, distribution and trading of medicines can be traced back as far as antiquity. The making, production or manufacturing of medicines, mixtures, admixtures and other dosages forms have been performed over the years by a wide categories of people including lay peo- ple, priests, herbalists, traditional healers, midwives, medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists. As elaborated below, the practice of the art of healing was based on Arab, Egyptian, Greek and Roman texts, particularly those of Hippocrates, Aristotle, Dioscorides, Galen and others. The making of medicines was the domain of monasteries and local healers as medical training was not formalised then. The formal training and development of preparation techniques of medicinal mixtures based on standardised processes of harvesting, drying and distillation led to the abandonment of the old-fashioned herbal preparations practices by lay people who fell out of favour with the professionalization of the healing/medical community. But the distribution, sale as well as the local and international trade of medicines have been performed, in addition, by licensed and non-licensed people and businesses. This paper aims to describe and report on the risks associated with the trading of medicines by non-licensed business entities and non-professionals. In doing so, the paper elaborates on the reasons why international trade is prone to being conducted by unlicensed businesses and non-professionals, as well as on the sources of medicines traded.In order to accomplish the above, the literature search, wit...

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Factors Associated with Drug Counterfeit in Nigeria: A Twelve Year Review

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

Poor performance of medicines logistics and supply chain systems in a developing country context: lessons from Nigeria

Poor performance of medicines logistics and supply chain systems in a developing country context: lessons from Nigeria

Tackling the blind spot of poor-quality medicines in Universal Health Coverage

Risks Associated with International Trading of Medicines by Non-Licensed Entities and Non-Professionals

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