In its continued efforts to stop reintroduction of fake, expired, substandard and falsified drugs into circulation, the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Saturday destroyed massive, confiscated, unregistered and banned medicines with estimated street value of One Hundred Billion Naira (100,000,000,000) at Moniya Dumpsite in the Akinyele area of Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
The destroyed drugs, according to the Director General of the Agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, were removed from Idumota Open Drug outlets in Lagos during a three-week exercise where several suspects were apprehended and billed for sanction.
Represented by Pharm. Yedunni Adenuga, Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances, the DG said that “NAFDAC as the lead agency and chair of the Federal Task Force on fake and counterfeited drugs and unwholesome processed foods, is firmly committed to ensuring that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water, and drinks are safe, wholesome, and effective for human consumption. As part of our commitment in ensuring safe and quality medicines, NAFDAC has established stringent guidelines for licensing, sale, and distribution of drug products”.
While commending the National Security Advisor (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu for approving 1000 security personnel including the Military, Police and DSS, the DG said the recent enforcement activities at the Idumota, Onitsha, Ariara, Ezeuku open drug markets which she said was mind boggling, could not have been possible. “The discoveries made of the presence of unregistered products, banned products such as Analgin, controlled substances such as Tramadol 225mg amongst others are part of the things making our country unsafe in terns of security”.
To nip the ugly trend in the bud, the DG said “as part of our commitment in ensuring safe and quality medicines, NAFDAC has established stringent guidelines for licensing, sake, and distribution of drugs products. I want to reiterate NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring that Maternal and Child Care are upheld, and this was demonstrated during the recent operation, as large amounts of poorly stored vaccines and products were evacuated”.
Adeyeye therefore appealed to the “general public, community leaders, health practitioners, religious leaders, members of the Press for assistance in the fight against falsified and fake medicines, noting that NAFDAC cannot do it alone. We seek your cooperation in providing valuable information where such are being sold or/and kept to help us prevent and ultimately eradicate the presence of unregistered and dangerous medicines and other violative products from our society”.
Witnessing the destruction exercise were: the representatives of Nigeria Customs Service, J. O. Adelaja; Mrs. Ajayi (Director, Lagos State Pharmacists Council of Nigeria);
While appreciating the sister agencies for their collaborative efforts, Adeyeye said, “I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) and all stakeholders who have contributed in the fight against substandard and falsified medicines and other unwholesome regulated products”.
