The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control(NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has disclosed that the agency has commenced a nationwide mop-up of the Sacra Herbs popularly known as Baba Aisha herbal medicine in circulation.
Adeyeye while making the disclosure at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja on the arrest of Alhaji Salisu who is the manufacturer of Baban Aisha herbal medicine for operating with an expired registration licence and illegal advertisement and sale of Sacra Herbs oral liquid said the agency has also intensified crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations, with a view to bringing perpetrators to book and minimize the usage of the substance.
While speaking further, Adeyeye said in 2018 the Agency received an application from Sacra Multi-Links Ltd, Layin Alhaji Hamza Mai Bread, Tafa Kagarko LGA, Kaduna State for the registration of its product Sacra Herbs oral liquid.
“Following regulatory protocols, the Agency granted listing approval with NAFDAC registration number A7-2590L for the Sacra Herbs oral liquid for the purpose of management of pile and associated pains.
“The notification of the registration of the product was granted on the 6th of September 2018 valid till the 12th of September 2019. The company on the 12th of August 2020 applied for renewal of its licence.
“Following regulatory audit of the company’s production facility, compliance directives were issued to them for non-conformers observed in the facility which the company was expected to correct.
“The company, however, did not correct the lapses observed, following which the product registration licence was not renewed.
“The agency also did not receive any application for the advertisement of the Sacra herb to warrant the illegal advertisement of the herbal preparation.
Adeyeye noted that the Sacra herb which licence expired in 2019 was approved for the management of pile and associated pains, while the company went beyond bound prescribing the medicines for unfounded indications such as for the treatment of waist pains, typhoid, ulcer, pile, toilet infection etc.
“It will also not be out of place to put on record some other related enforcement actions carried out recently as it relates to illegal manufacture, importation, advertisement, and sale of unregistered herbal drugs.
“The Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the Agency recently clamped down on some distributors of some herbal medicines- Hajia Ayisha Special Snuff AK 47.
“This was a result of an intelligence report received by NAFDAC that these herbal medicines are mainly in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Findings revealed that the herbal snuff were manufactured in Ghana and was approved for use as an analgesic by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) of Ghana. But is being wrongly packaged and passed off as snuff for the Nigerian market.
“The DG also said the investigation further revealed an alarming trend in the use of these poisonous preparations by a wide section of the populace, cutting across all genders and age groups, including young boys and girls, men and married women, drivers and artisans.
“The snuff, popularly called ‘SHAKE’ or ‘ANGORO’ herbal powder comes under different street names, such as AK 47, Moringa, Black coffee (Dan Kano), Magic powder, Lufthansa, Desert Warrior, etc.
“Some of the products mopped up from circulation during raid by NAFDAC included the following: Hajia Ayisha special snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha Masanda original powerful powder, Hajia Ayisha snuff Nasrullah snuff No. 1, Hajia Salma Special snuff, Lufthansa Man power snuff, 99 Bullet more power snuff, AK 47 Power snuff, Hajia Salma VIP Moringa, Forever Journey, Dr Lambo Moringa snuff, Danmilla Kokoo herbal powder, The Desert Warrior, Hajia Salma sundu. The products are abused for various reasons, including, to create pleasure, to get into ecstasy, increased libido and the like.
“The chemical substance in these deadly products of abuse is pyridine which belongs to a class of toxic alkaloids found in some plants of the Nicotiana species, which include the tobacco plant.
“It can be highly addictive, and it is associated with a range of serious health consequences, including increased risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, etc.”
Adeyeye therefore appealed to all, particularly the vulnerable group to desist from the use of this dangerous herbal preparation.
“Be assured that NAFDAC is doing everything to ensure that only safe and efficacious medicine, wholesome food, and quality regulated products are sold and used by Nigerians.
“The successful investigation on Sacra herbs (Baban Aisha), Hajiya Aisha special snuff AK 47 and other herbal medicines go to drive home the fact that eradication of fake and counterfeit drugs, adulterated and unwholesome processed foods and other regulated products is a holistic battle which should involve every well-meaning Nigerian.”
Adeyeye also assured Nigerians that NAFDAC is doing everything to ensure that only safe medicine and wholesome food of the right quality are sold to our citizenry.
“I would also like to use this opportunity to solicit the support of health practitioners, community leaders, religious leaders, the press, and all stakeholders to continue to educate their wards and family members to desist from patronizing quacks and hawkers of medicines on the street,” she added.
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