The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Rivers State has set up what it referred to as Pharmacovigilance Centres to introduce “Yellow Form” across the state’s tertiary, secondary and primary institutions.
The National Pharmacovigilance Centre of NAFDAC has called on health care practitioners in Rivers State to always report incidences of adverse drug reactions through NAFDAC’s ‘Yellow Form’ to the National Pharmacovigilance centre domiciled in NAFDAC headquarters, Abuja. This was made know by the South-South Zone Public Relations Officer Cyril Monye in Port Harcourt recently.
The call was made during a seminar in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital where the seminar featured medical personnel across the state’s tertiary, secondary and primary institutions for an interactive session. Participants wanted to know when it becomes expedient for health care providers and patients to use the Yellow Form.
The two facilitators from the NAFDAC Pharmacovigilance Centre, Abuja Dr. Abiodun Abiola and Rosemary Ochegbue advised the participants to set up Pharmacovigilance Committees in their various health facilities to collate Individual Case Safety Report (ICSR).
The participants were also trained on how to fill the Yellow Form (Adverse Drug Reaction Form) and on how to download the Med Safety App from goggle play store and IOS for online complaints of ADR.
Participants were asked to take note of some drugs that have been withdrawn from the market, such as Analgin, Butazolidine and Gentamycin 280mg due to adverse reaction on patients and ensure that they are not found in their medical facilities.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC Director South-South Zone, Pharm. Chukwuma Oligbu has called on stakeholders to always seek guidance from the agency on how best to register their products, he stated this during the last Port Harcourt International Trade Fair.
He said that “NAFDAC presence at the trade fair was very impactful and has been able to allay the fears of stakeholders especially SME and MSME products and give guidance to those who hitherto see NAFDAC as a masquerade.”
The Director said that the charged political climate in the state affected the turnout of participants but even at that, the trade fair still witnessed participants from all parts of the country hoping that our next outing in similar event will experience higher turnout which will provide us greater opportunity to reach out to more SME and MSME producers.
