The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) began enforcement activities on Monday at the popular Ogbo-Ogu Market in Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State.
During this operation, NAFDAC officials, led by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, the Director of NAFDAC’s South East Zone, confiscated a variety of adulterated, substandard, and expired drugs found in various shops.
In a statement to journalists, Iluyomade explained that this exercise aligns with the agency’s mission to eliminate fake, banned, and other spurious products regulated by NAFDAC from circulation in Nigeria. He emphasized that the goal is to protect the public from falling victim to such harmful items.
Iluyomade noted that NAFDAC is collaborating with the market task force in this effort, which resulted in the seizure of numerous fake and banned products. He added that this operation was conducted simultaneously across all states in the South-East region.
He said, “Today, we are commencing our enforcement at the Ogbo-Ogu market. What triggered the exercise is that over time, we have been collating data and gathering intelligence on fake and substandard drugs in the market, and we got to the tail end and discovered that people are repackaging and rebagging fake and counterfeit drugs in the market.
“The exercise is aimed at raiding the markets of fake and substandard drugs and those that are made up of spurious, counterfeited and falsified medicinal products, unwholesome processed products and several other unsafe regulated drugs.
“This is taking place simultaneously across the South-East states, and it is aimed at sanitising the drug markets and safeguarding the health of members of the unsuspecting public.
“Among the drugs are expired, banned, substandard, deflective, repackaged and recalled products. We found out that some of the drug dealers are in the habit of imitating some popular drugs and pouring it into containers of the original manufacturer in order to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
“And these drugs are very sensitive that can lead to death or permanent disability of the consumer. The confiscation of the products would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the market and a proof of the agency’s resolve to safeguard the health of the people.”
He advised members of the public to patronise only licensed and registered drug outlets, adding that security operatives and the investigative team of the agency, as well as other stakeholders, are on the ground monitoring and ensuring that the enforcement goes smoothly.
However, when asked, Iluyomade, who could not give the estimated value of confiscated products in monetary terms, said it was an ongoing exercise that could only be determined at the end of it.
Among the products found in the market to have been faked and counterfeited included antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiacs, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, herbal remedies and psychoactive drugs.
Others were banned drugs such as analgin, tramadol (above 100 mg), gentamycin (280 mg), codeine and controlled substances, vaccines, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals and unwholesome food, empty plastics, bags and cans, among others.
Also present at the exercise were representatives of various trade unions, market leaders, the market task force, and other critical stakeholders.
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