MeCure Industries Plc has unveiled a groundbreaking Track-and-Trace solution aimed at ensuring product safety and elevating patient safety standards in Nigeria.
This initiative addresses the dual challenge faced by the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry—balancing medicine accessibility and combating the increasing threat of fake and counterfeit drugs infiltrating the market.
Key Aspects of the Track & Trace Solution:
- Comprehensive Monitoring: The Track & Trace Solution meticulously monitors and documents the entire journey of a pharmaceutical product, from its manufacturing origin to the end-user.
- Enhanced Transparency: This comprehensive transparency ensures traceability and verification at every stage of the drug’s trajectory, making MeCure’s Track & Trace-enabled brands nearly impossible to counterfeit.
- Efficient Supply Chain Management: Beyond preventing counterfeiting, the solution amplifies efficiency in supply chain management.
- Immediate Intervention: Any suspicious deviation or unauthorized alteration triggers immediate intervention, curbing the spread of counterfeit drugs and safeguarding consumers.
- Consumer Authentication: Consumers can easily authenticate each product with a simple click on any smartphone, fostering trust and confidence in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
- Collaborative Approach: The initiative promotes collaboration among stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors, and regulatory bodies, by providing shared access to standardized, traceable data systems.
Significance and Challenges:
- According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, substandard drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa cause approximately 500,000 deaths, with 267,000 linked to fake and counterfeit malaria medicines.
- Up to 169,271 deaths are attributed to fake and counterfeit antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections in children.
- The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) has been proactive in combating this issue, issuing alerts, recalls, and conducting investigations to crack down on cartels involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit medicines.
- NAFDAC’s recent initiatives include launching a database to identify certified drugs, demonstrating a commitment to eradicating fake and counterfeit drugs from circulation.
MeCure’s Track & Trace Solution represents a significant stride in fortifying the pharmaceutical supply chain, ensuring the integrity of medicines, and ultimately enhancing patient safety in Nigeria.
