By Destiny Obinna
The 4th African Pharmaceutical Distribution Association (APDA) Thematic General Assembly began on Tuesday, in Lagos, with stakeholders calling for stronger supply chain systems, improved regulation and greater collaboration to tackle falsified and substandard medicines.
The three days event, hosted by the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (PWDAN), is being held from October 6 to 8 in Lagos.
Speaking during a capacity building session, Pharm. Solomon Shiihii stressed that once medicines leave the manufacturing facility, wholesalers, distributors and retailers become custodians of their quality.
He said poor storage and handling could lead to loss of potency, stressing the need for proper good storage and distribution practices to protect patients.
Shiihii also said effective capacity building requires both financial resources and skilled personnel, adding that workers must be trained, retrained and continuously developed to maintain quality standards.
Earlier, Wilson Chandomba identified the movement of pharmaceutical products as one of the major weaknesses in the supply chain, calling for stronger cross border controls, intelligence sharing and improved emergency preparedness.
The assembly also focused on the use of artificial intelligence and digital technology to improve traceability, data management and pharmaceutical distribution, while speakers stressed that human oversight and accountability must remain central.
Other stakeholders called for stronger cybersecurity, better warehousing systems and full implementation of Nigeria’s National Drug Distribution guidelines to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain and protect public health.
