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The National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control((NAFDAC), on Friday urged pharmaceutical and medicine distribution companies to install Global Positioning System(GPS) trackers in their distribution vehicles.
Dr Ejike Nnamani, an Assistant Director of the agency gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Enugu on Friday.
GPS is a satellite navigation system used to determine the position of an object on the ground.
Nnamani said adding GPS tracking device would help to enhance security and effective monitoring of the medical products while in transit.
He also urged that electronically manipulated engine-kill buttons should be in place to enhance security and stop vehicles suspected to be moving out of destination routes.
He said: “There should be dedicated equipment and vehicles to convey medicines and these vehicles must have good access control.
“These vehicles and equipment used in conveying medicines must be suitable and appropriate to prevent exposure of products to conditions that could affect their stability, packaging integrity and contamination of any kind.
“The vehicles and equipment should minimise risk of errors, building of dusts or dirt and contamination as well as ensure appropriate quality agreement.”
Nnamani said that special storage conditions like mobile refrigerators were required during transportation, noting that they should be provided, checked, monitored and recorded.