Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) Scheme and Public Participation in Eradicating Fake Drugs in South-East Nigeria
- July 8, 2021
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: IJRISS, Mass Communication, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue VI, June 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186
Chinonye Faith Chinedu-Okeke (PhD)1*, Nnanyelugo Okoro (Prof.)2; Ijeoma Obi (PhD)3
1Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria
2Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
3Department of Mass Communication, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Nigeria
CorrespondenceAuthor*
Abstract: The issue of fake drugs is a global threat, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. Thus, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among other strategies, launched a Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) scheme that enables the public to authenticate drugs at the point of purchase using scratch codes and SMS. The study examined the level of public awareness, knowledge, and use of MAS in eradicating fake drugs in South-East Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed-methods research of Survey and Key Informant Interviews (KII). The data gathered from 400 respondents via a structured questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis, while the transcripts from KII were thematically analysed. The analysed data reveals a low level of awareness, knowledge, and use of MAS among respondents, especially in rural areas. Some challenges faced by the respondents in the use of MAS include a low level of awareness and knowledge of MAS, poor network services, elitist nature of the campaign messages on MAS, and partial access to MAS among drug manufacturers. The data also reveal strategies towards enhancing the operations of MAS to ensure its efficiency in eradicating fake drugs in Nigeria. The study, therefore, concludes that the level of public awareness, knowledge, and use of MAS is relatively low, especially in rural areas. The study found that the use of MAS if enhanced is an efficient scheme in eradicating fake drugs in Nigeria.
Keywords: Mobile Authentication Service, Public Participation, Eradicate, Fake drugs.
I. INTRODUCTION
The issue of fake drugs has been acknowledged as a significant public health problem that has assumed global dimensions, with more cases recorded in developing countries including Nigeria (Factsheet, 2013). The manufacturing, trading, and utilization of fake drugs in treating life-threatening conditions has been documented as one of the causes of treatment failure, disabilities, high morbidity, mortality, and loss of public confidence in the Nigerian health sector (Joda et al., 2017).
Fake or counterfeit drug is a medicine or pharmaceutical item, which is deliberately and fraudulently produced and sold with the intent to deceptively represent its originality, authenticity, or effectiveness. Drug counterfeiting can apply to pharmaceutical products with the correct or wrong ingredients, insufficient active ingredients, fake packaging, or without active ingredients (Chika et al., 2011). Fake drugs are by their nature difficult to detect because they are often designed to appear identical to the genuine product and they often fail to properly treat the disease or condition for which they were intended to treat.
