Experts link Nigeria’s heat crisis to growing drug ineffectiveness

By Olayimika Raimi

Key stakeholders in Nigeria’s health and pharmaceutical sector have raised alarm over the growing impact of persistent heat waves on drug effectiveness, warning that rising temperatures are contributing to widespread treatment failures across the country.

The concerns were voiced during the 3rd anniversary of the Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT), College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. The event, themed “Preserving Potency: Navigating Heat Stress in Medicine Distribution and Usage,” was held in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Experts at the event highlighted that excessive heat is silently degrading medicines throughout the supply chain, from production to end-user storage. This degradation reduces the potency of drugs, leading to ineffective treatments and, in some cases, worsening health outcomes.

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Representing the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Dr. Inkem Collete Ifudu explained that climate change, especially extreme heat poses a serious threat to maintaining drug quality. She noted that commonly used antibiotics such as amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and can degrade quickly without proper storage conditions.

She further warned that life-saving drugs like oxytocin, which require strict cold-chain storage, can become completely ineffective when exposed to high temperatures, putting patients, particularly pregnant women, at significant risk.

To address these challenges, NAFDAC has intensified post-market surveillance through its laboratories nationwide, testing drug samples from various distribution points. The agency also enforces strict penalties, including confiscation and sanctions, against those distributing compromised or counterfeit medicines.

Stakeholders emphasized that maintaining proper storage conditions is a shared responsibility across the pharmaceutical supply chain. However, gaps remain, particularly in informal drug markets where medicines are often exposed to direct sunlight and poor storage conditions.

Oyo State Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Pharmacist Adebayo Ogundamosi also highlighted the financial burden of maintaining optimal storage environments, noting increased investments in electricity, cooling systems, and solar-powered refrigeration due to unreliable power supply and high fuel costs.

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Director of IAMRAT, Professor IkeOluwapo Ajayi, stressed that compromised drug potency can create a dangerous illusion of treatment while allowing diseases to progress. She attributed part of the problem to poor public awareness, as many consumers unknowingly store medicines improperly or purchase drugs from unregulated vendors including drug hawkers.

Experts called for stronger public education, stricter adherence to storage standards, and government interventions such as subsidies or insurance schemes to make quality medicines more affordable and accessible.

They concluded that safeguarding drug potency requires a coordinated effort among manufacturers, regulators, healthcare providers, and consumers to ensure effective healthcare delivery amid rising climate-related challenges.