The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on parents and guardians in Rivers State to heighten their vigilance as cases of drug abuse among young people continue to rise.
This appeal was made during a grassroots sensitisation programme in Port Harcourt, according to the anti-drug agency post on Wednesday.
The agency stressed the urgent need for families and communities to play a more active role in protecting young people from harmful substances.
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While representing the Director-General, the Director of Pharmacovigilance, Dr Uchenna Elemuwa, noted that the growing trend of illicit drug consumption among youths had become a public health concern requiring community-driven solutions.
To ensure full compliance, at the event, NAFDAC also called on the Rivers State Government to implement the National Policy on Pharmacovigilance across public and private health facilities.
The policy, developed by the Federal Ministry of Health, mandates all health institutions to institutionalise adverse drug reaction reporting and clearly outlines the roles of stakeholders in medicine safety monitoring.
Dr Elemuwa explained that improved policy enforcement, combined with wider public awareness, would strengthen drug safety reporting at primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare levels.
The sensitisation programme was attended by representatives of health institutions, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the NAFDAC Corps Members CDS group, and community leaders.
Participants engaged in discussions on medicine safety, while Corps members delivered a drama presentation illustrating the dangers and consequences of drug misuse among young people.
