International Archives of Medicine and Medical Sciences (IAMMS), pISSN: 2705-1404; eISSN: 2705-1412
November to December 2019 Vol 1(3): pp.8-13    DOI: https://doi.org/10.33515/iamms/2019.028/28

Copyright © 2019 C-International Archives

Original Article

Electronic quality authentication-linked antimalarial drug survey in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria

Ajibola M. Umarudeen*, Maxwell O. Egua

Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author’s Email: umarudeen.monisola@uniabuja.edu.ng

 

Published December 23, 2019


ABSTRACT

Chemotherapy remains a key malaria control strategy but the emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs by the malaria parasite poses a threat to sustained positive impact of this strategy. Circulation and use of fake/substandard antimalarial drugs are major contributory factors to the development of malaria resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. This antimalarial drug survey was carried out by covert visits to randomly selected commercial drug outlets in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria, by the research team. The scope of the survey included determining the variety of registered antimalarial drug brands available at the commercial drug outlets in the study area and finding out which of these brands have the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration numbers with or without the 12-digit (NAFDAC) PIN numbers for electronic drug quality authentication. A total of two thousand and two units of antimalarial drugs distributed across 78 brand names were sampled in this study. All the drugs sampled carried valid expiry dates and registration numbers but only 17 brands (21.79%) had the NAFDAC PIN numbers (and all of them were confirmed to be authentic). None of the syrup or suspension samples had the 12-digit PIN numbers. Sixty-one (78.21%) of the sampled brands spread across various formulations lacked the NAFDAC PIN numbers and their genuineness or sources could not be authenticated at the points of purchase.

Keywords: Antimalarial drug survey, electronic quality authentication

 

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