Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will use a technology-driven tracking system to monitor medicines and vaccines supplied to Nigeria under an agreement between the Nigerian and United States governments.
The agency said the system would help track medical products throughout the distribution chain under the US Government-Nigeria Government (USG-GoN) agreement, which it described as an intervention intended to address gaps in HIV/AIDS treatment following the exit of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NAFDAC said it would deploy its GS1 Track and Trace system, which was previously used to monitor the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.
According to the agency, data collected through the system were stored in its Traceability Information System (TIS), which has since been used to monitor other vaccines.
NAFDAC said it had also extended the tracking system to narcotics, maternal health products and newborn care commodities.
The agency said the technology would enable it to monitor medical products supplied under the USG-GoN agreement across the country’s distribution network, supporting oversight of their movement from entry into Nigeria to subsequent points in the supply chain.
The announcement comes amid concerns about the continuity of essential health commodities and the need for effective monitoring of medicines and vaccines supplied through international partnerships.
NAFDAC also addressed questions about the use of approvals from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), stating that reliance on such approvals would not remove its own regulatory responsibilities.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting public health through its regulatory mandate. “NAFDAC will NOT fail to carry out this responsibility as enshrined in the mandate,” the statement said.
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Korede Abdullah 