DETERMINANTS OF AWARENESS OF NIGERIAN PHARMACOVIGILANCE PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITEIES OF NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD, DRUGS ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL.

Abstract

Effective pharmacovigilance relies on contributions by many people with varying educational backgrounds. The concept of pharmacovigilance is most times not well understood, either by health professionals, patients or the general population. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of individual and community-level factors on awareness of NAFDAC and the effectiveness of its campaign against fake drugs and awareness of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme. This study was a secondary analysis of data collected in the 2012 National HIV & AIDS and Reproductive Health and Serological Survey (NARHS Plus). The survey covered all the 36 states of Nigeria and female aged 15-49 years and males 15-64 years were selected through a multi-stage sampling method. The total number of individuals selected for final interview was 31,235. ST AT A version 12 was used for the analysis. Descriptive statistics as well as a three-level logistic regression analyses were used. Half (50.8%) of those in the reproductive age were aware of NAFDAC while about one-third (36.5%) checked for NAFDAC registration number before they bought drugs/food products. One-forth (26.0%) of the respondents was aware of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme. The most significant individual-level predictors of NAFDAC awareness were how often an individual listened to radio and how often an individual watched television. Also, educational level and gender were associated with NAFDAC awareness. An individual with tertiary educational level was approximately twenty times (QR= 19.67, 95% C.I= 16.19 - 23.15) more likely to checked for NAFDAC registration number compared to an individual without formal education. Similarly, sex, occupation and type of location (rural or urban) were associated with checking for NAFDAC registration number. An individual who have ever heard/seen any NAFDAC campaign was approximately thirty-three times (OR= 32.85, 95% C.I= 29.133 - 36.567) more likely to be aware of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme compared to an individual who have not heard/seen the advert. Furthermore, education, occupation and type of location (rural or urban) were associated with awareness of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme. The study has shown that gender, educational level, how often an individual watch television and how often an individual listen to radio are factors influencing the awareness of NAFDAC. Also, gender, educational level, type of location (rural or urban) and occupation are factors associated with checking for NAFDAC registration number. Furthermore, NAFDAC -campaign on ADRs reporting influences the awareness of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme. Similarly, educational level, occupational status and type of location are also factors affecting the awareness of Nigerian pharmacovigilance programme. Programmes and advertisements related to NAFDAC and pharmacovigilance should be done on media and packaged for the illiterate to understand. Also, legislators, policy makers, government officials, NAFDAC, health ministries, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and media should work together in order to raise the awareness level of pharmacovigilance.