NAFDAC trains 20,000 young pharmacists on drug abuse

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has begun training 20,000 young pharmacists across Nigeria as parts of its effort to stop the threat of drug abuse.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, disclosed this while addressing newsmen recently to commemorate the 2018 World International Day Against Drug Abuse in Abuja. to create awareness against Illicit Trafficking or illegal drug trade across the globe.

Adeyeye explained that the exercise was to conduct a comprehensive research across the country concerning drug abuse.

“We are working with not less than 20,000 young pharmacists to do a pilot phase of study in the six geopolitical zones. Those young pharmacists are carefully selected and they are not more than 35 years of age.

“They are expected to visit secondary schools across the country, distribute questionnaires and conduct a systematic study on the scope of drug abuse. Honestly, today is a sad day for me because of what drug abuse has done to our youth in the country,” she expressed.

Adeyeye explained that the efforts was to stem the most commonly abused drugs in the country, tramadol and codeine. She described tramadol as a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain and was the most abused medicine among addicts.

The NAFDAC boss added that taking it had no effects on the respiratory system but overdose caused arrhythmias, cramps, coma and death.

She said that NAFDAC was ready, determined and more committed than ever to fight drug abuse and ensure that those dealing with illicit and substandard drugs were punished.