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| Expired, substandard and falsified medical products before and during destruction weekend by National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Ogun State |
Chioma Umeha
The National Agency for Food Drugs Administration
and Control (NAFDAC) recorded what it considers as a major breakthrough
weekend, for destroying 189 truckloads of expired, substandard and falsified
medical products valued at N2.7 billion at the Oke-diya dumpsite in Sagamu,
Ogun State.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the
agency told journalists during the destruction exercise that 189 trucks
conveyed the unsafe and unwholesome drugs – the highest ever recorded by NAFDAC
– to the destruction venue.
Some of the products destroyed were either seized
by NAFDAC from manufacturers, importers and distributors or voluntarily handed
over to the agency by compliant companies, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs)
and Trade Unions.
According to Prof Adeyeye, Tramadol worth N283.5
million, which could have destroyed many young lives and families, were
involved in the destruction exercise.
Tramadol, she explained, is a ‘deceiver’ drugs
which makes the individual feel good during consumption, while it fries the
brain as well as destroy different organs of the body.
The Director-General said; “This destruction
exercise, which is in line with our strategy, is aimed at eradicating the
re-introduction of expired, substandard and Falsified (SFs) medical products,
as well as unsafe and unwholesome NAFDAC regulated products into circulation in
the country.
“The products being destroyed today are products
seized by the agency from manufacturers, importers and distributors.
“Also up for destruction are expired products
voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) and Trade Unions.
“The estimated street value of the products
scheduled for destruction today is N2, 675,896,538.20,’’ she said.
The DG said that NAFDAC had been given the mandate
by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the health of
Nigerians is safeguarded.
“In line with this mandate, the agency stepped up
its prevention, detection and response activities towards the elimination of
SFs, unwholesome foods and counterfeiting of all NAFDAC regulated products in
the preceding year by training and retraining of relevant NAFDAC staff.’
Adeyeye appealed to the judiciary to take sterner
view of counterfeiting and apply stiffer sanctions to deter counterfeiters,
because of the danger they continue to pose to the society of their dangerous
products.
She also pleaded with the National Assembly to
pass the Counterfeit Medical Products Bill that will strengthen the Agency’s
fight against counterfeiting in Nigeria the country.
In his remarks, the Director, Investigation and
Enforcement, Barrister Kingsley Ejiofor linked the high number of truckloads of
products to hard work, intensified activity and strong collaboration with other
stakeholders.
The representatives of the National Drug and Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Custom and the Police at the destruction exercise
reiterated their commitment and support for NFDAC in reducing the quantity of
fake, expired and adulterated drugs in the country.
