By Akinwale Kasali
As the spike in fake drugs becomes a national issue of concern, the African pharmaceutical stakeholders have called for a coordinated continental action to combat falsified medicines, strengthen regulatory cooperation and secure supply chains.
Over the years, the fragmented distribution systems has continued to expose patients to unsafe and ineffective products, as adulterated drugs and products continues to grow in circulation, putting the lives of innocent persons at risk.
Following this development that has been at the center of discourse, the main conference of the fourth Thematic General Assembly of the African Pharmaceutical Distributors Association, APDA, for a wind of change.
The Conference hosted by the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, PWDAN, in Lagos on Thursday, October 8, with delegates from English- and French-speaking African countries in attendance navigating the future of the Pharmaceutical Society around Africa.
The gathering brought together pharmaceutical distribution leaders, professional association executives and other prominent figures from Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector and across Africa to discuss practical ways of strengthening medicine supply chains and protecting patients from falsified and substandard products.
Speaking at the event, APDA Vice-President for the Central Region, Dr Yolande Djomo, who represented the association’s President, Dr Lahcen Senhaji, said African countries faced similar challenges in pharmaceutical distribution and needed stronger cooperation to address them.
She said the assembly provided an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange experiences, develop practical solutions and improve the security and resilience of medicine supply chains across the continent.
Djomo said APDA, established in October 2019, had continued to bring together pharmaceutical distribution stakeholders to promote dialogue, shared learning and improvements in the distribution of quality medicines.
She recalled that previous thematic assemblies in Dakar, Senegal, in 2022; Kigali, Rwanda, in 2023; and Douala, Cameroon, in 2024, had addressed medicine availability, accessibility, quality and supply-chain challenges, adding that the Lagos meeting would build on those discussions.
In his welcome address, PWDAN Chairman, Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, said falsified medicines and the criminal networks responsible for their circulation exploited weaknesses in pharmaceutical supply chains, with consequences for treatment outcomes, public confidence and healthcare costs.
He said distributors occupied a critical position between manufacturers and patients and therefore had a responsibility to preserve medicine quality and integrity throughout storage, transportation and delivery.
Omaruaye called for supply chains that were visible, traceable and accountable, supported by technology, effective regulation and stronger collaboration among manufacturers, distributors, regulators and governments. He stressed that the objective must go beyond discussions to practical solutions capable of making it more difficult for falsified medicines to enter distribution channels and reach patients.
The keynote address was delivered by Pharm. Remi Adeseun of Advisory Inc on the theme, “Advancing Pharmaceutical Distribution in Africa: Building Secure Supply Chains Against Falsified Medicines.”
The address examined the challenge of strengthening pharmaceutical supply chain security while ensuring that quality assured medicines reached patients through reliable distribution systems.
Chairman of the Occasion, Dr Claire Omatseye, founder and managing director of JNC International Limited and founder of Vaccipharm Limited, said medicine distribution should be regarded as a patient-safety system rather than simply the movement of products from one point to another.
She said every time a medicine changed hands, stakeholders had an opportunity to preserve its quality and prevent it from being compromised, stressing that falsified medicines constituted a global threat requiring collective responsibility.
Omatseye called for stronger collaboration involving manufacturers, distributors, regulators, customs officials, security agencies and governments, arguing that the challenge could not be resolved by pharmaceutical professionals or regulatory authorities acting alone.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko, represented by the Society’s National Secretary, Pharm. Gafar Olanrewaju Madehin, reinforced the importance of professional accountability, effective regulation and collaboration between pharmaceutical distributors, pharmacists and other stakeholders in safeguarding medicine quality.
Similarly, the National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, highlighted the importance of secure medicine distribution to community pharmacy practice and patient protection.
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was the guest of honour, also highlighted the importance of regulatory enforcement and collaboration with industry stakeholders in protecting medicine quality.
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