NAFDAC makes bonfire
of dangerous products
By Juliana Francis
Thursday,
May 11, 2006
It was yet, another victory for the National Agency for Food
and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as its surveillance
team confiscated fake, substandard and unwholesome products,
worth over N152 million.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Dora Akunyili and
some members of staff watched, as the illicit products went
up in flames at the agency’s dumpsite in Shagamu, Ogun
State, on May 3, 2006.
Products that were perishable and could not burn, were crushed
by waiting caterpillar.
The Director, Enforcement, NAFDAC, Dioka Ejionueme, said,
the products were recovered from various areas of federation,
especially from importers, pharmaceutical stores and street
drug hawkers.
Two journalists from Switzerland, present at the dumpsite
said, they had heard of the battles fought and won by Akunyili
and her team against illicits products and had come to ask
her some questions. For instance, they wanted to know, “if
any of the fake and substandard products were from Switzerland
and why she was burning the products.”
A glance at some of the products showed they carry Switzerland
labels, but Akunyili said: “ I must make one thing clear.
Just, because the products have ‘made in Switzerland,’
doesn’t mean they are. The producers often use names
of countries to gain acceptability. Switzerland is one of
the countries that bring in good products.”
She told the curious foreign journalists that the products
were burnt to sensitise Nigerians about the reality of fake
drugs. She added: “ We burn them because they are substandard
and fake. We burn them so that they don’t go back into
circulation and to show the producers of such fake and substandard
products that their products are useless.”
Akunyili said by 2001, fake drugs in Nigeria was at alarming
rate, adding that back then, 70 per cent of fake drugs were
in circulation. She said that less than 10 per cent are in
circulation at present.
“ This shows Nigeria has become too hot for those dealing
in fake and substandard products. They are running out of
business and out of Nigeria,” she said.
Asked if she was worried about assassination attempts on her
life, she said: “Assassination attempt is possible,
but I will continue to fight the battle. These fake dealers
are killing Nigerians across the country. It’s a crime.
I can’t shy away from that fact!”
She revealed that the fight would soon be taken to the door
steps of some multinational companies, who have been indicted
by on-going investigations. |
