In a collaborative effort to stem the rising tide of illicit use of narcotic drugs and other controlled substances in the country, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are currently working on a draft implementation of a National Drug Control Masterplan that will span for the period of 4 years.

The draft masterplan is designed to ensure strict control of the proliferation, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs as well as drug demand and reduction.

This was disclosed during a courtesy visit on the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii by the newly appointed Director General of NDLEA, Mrs Roli Bode George in Abuja.

She commended the dogged and pro-active effort of NAFDAC in the control and use of narcotics in the country and noted that these efforts are complementary of the work of her Agency in the fight against the illicit use of drugs in the country.

Responding, Director -General of NAFDAC, Dr Orhii said the agency has recorded success in the control of drug abuse and illicit drug. He noted that the re –categorization of codeine-containing syrup which was widely abused from over-counter drug to a prescription only drug has shown a drastic reduction in the incidence of abuse of this drug.

Speaking further, Dr Orhii said the increased inspections, monitoring and surveillance of these narcotics from importation, through distribution to the end users by NAFDAC has helped in curbing diversion and abuse.

He said NAFDAC is currently working towards collaborating with WHO on capacity building for pharmacists and Doctors in the country on how to store, prescribe and dispense pain relief narcotics in the country.

Earlier, the project co- ordinator, Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime in Nigeria of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Glen Prichard commended the NAFDAC boss for his committed fight in the control of narcotics drugs in the country.