From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Director- General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) , Professor Christainah Mojisola Adeyeye has said that the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has been placed on red alert on the possible importation of fake COVID-19 vaccines into Nigeria.
Speaking in Kano,Tuesday, after an inspection of a warehouse of impounded fake and unwholesome food and drug items seized by the Kano State Consumer Protection Council, she said that her agency was equally working round the clock to check the possibility of the importation and distribution of fake vaccine in Nigeria.
“NAFDAC is mandated to control where drugs go and what is allegedly coming from China in terms of fake COVID- 19 vaccines, INTERPOL is working on it. So, if they think they are not been watched, I can assure you that they are being watched. We are working on all corners to ensure that the allegedly fake COVID -19 vaccines from China never find their feet in the country.
“If they import them into our country, we would go after them, we would get them and we would destroy them, and then we would sanction those behind them as prescribed by law” the NAFDAC boss told journalists.
Professor Adeyeye, who is in Kano to engage with stakeholders in the state, expressed regrets at the purported delay in the registration of new products by NAFDAC, saying however that they are under duty to ensure that the health of Nigerians was not compromised.
“In terms of the registration of new products, we have to follow international best practices. What they fail to appreciate is that it is not all products that were submitted to be registered that would be registered,” she stated.
She admitted that in some cases the applications were returned to the applicants, not just for regulation but to get the applicants to build on their quality and make their product acceptable and competitive for the international markets .
The Director – General expressed delight at the performance of Kano State Consumer Protection Council, saying the collaboration of the Council with his agency has been worth while while appealing to other states of the Federation to emulate Kano State by setting up an agency ; council that would join hands with NAFDAC in the fight against the distribution and consumption of fake and unwholesome drugs and foods at the state and local government levels.