The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun strengthening regulatory oversight of blood and blood products in Nigeria to improve their quality, safety and availability.
The move, announced in a statement issued on Friday, followed the support of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, and is in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation that national regulatory authorities oversee blood and blood products as medicines.
NAFDAC said blood and blood products are classified as essential medicines and should be consistently available, with their quality, safety and affordability assured.
The agency said stronger regulation would cover the entire blood transfusion chain, from donor assessment and blood collection to testing, processing, storage, transportation and eventual use.
Why the regulation matters
