The Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to implement the National Drug Distribution Guidelines introduced by the government in 2012 as part of measures to address the proliferation of fake drugs.
Speaking at the end of a three-day conference held in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Thursday, the PWDAN Chairman, Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, said the policy would address the challenges in the drug distribution chain.
Omaruaye stressed that the recent clampdown on open drug markets across the country had exposed the fragility of the current drug distribution system, which he claimed had constituted a setback in the fight against fake drug proliferation.
According to him, the non-implementation of the policy, which outlined the roles of each stakeholder in the drug distribution chain, has also hindered the nation in the fight against fake drugs.
He said, “We gather here today not just to reflect, but to act. The recent closure of some of the open drug markets in Nigeria created a lot of problems in the pharmaceutical industry.
It disrupted supply chains and exposed the fragility of our current distribution systems. But in every challenge lies an opportunity, and this is our moment to rise.
For years, PWDAN has championed the cause of a structured, transparent, and secure pharmaceutical supply chain.
We have consistently advocated the full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines introduced by the government in 2012.
These guidelines were not just policies, they were a blueprint for medicine security, for public health, and for national resilience.”
He concluded that all stakeholders in the drug distribution channel must come together to ensure that the arrangements made by the government include the private sector distributors.
Yet, we must be honest with ourselves. The government is exploring alternative arrangements, and the private sector risks being sidelined, not because we lack capacity, but because we have not fully embraced the structures already in place.
This is a call to action. We must close ranks, align with national policy, and work together to fill the gaps that threaten our collective future.
Let me be clear: medical security is not a government problem. It is a national imperative. And it requires all hands on deck— regulators, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers— working in harmony, with PWDAN as a trusted bridge,” Omaruaye said.
In her remarks, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Regina Garba, stressed that the agency had remained committed to safeguarding public health through effective regulation.
She added, “The agency has taken several steps in support of this, including strengthening the good distribution practices, intensifying post-market surveillance and routine inspection, digitalising the regulatory system, and leveraging technology for supply chain traceability and encouraging industry self-regulation through collaborative partnership.
“Achieving a secure pharmaceutical supply chain is not just the job of regulators alone, it demands partnership, accountability and shared responsibilities across the spectrum from manufacturers and importers to wholesalers and last distributors.”
She urged the distributors to galvanise themselves towards compliance, professionalism and strategic partnership within the drug distribution ecosystem.
In their goodwill messages, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Ahmed, and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ayuba Ibrahim, pledged their commitment to promoting the aims and objectives of their various organisations in achieving a safe drug distribution network.
