From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The National Agency for Food and Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake and expired drugs and other unsafe products worth over N613,300,290,000 in Kano.
Speaking at the North-West Zonal destruction exercise which took place in the state capital, NAFDAC Director-General Prof Christiana Mojisola Adeyele said the destruction exercise was in line with the Agency’s strategy to eradicate fake drugs and other spurious NAFDAC regulated products from circulation in the country.
Represented by the Agency’s Director of Investigation, Barrister Kingsley Ejiofor, Prof Adeyele stated that the products that were being destroyed included substandard, fake and falsely labeled medicines, unwholesome processed food products, cosmetics and other counterfeit and unsafe NAFDAC regulated products seized from manufacturers, importers and distributors in the region.
The destroyed items also consisted of expired drugs handed over to the Agency by complaint companies, NGOs, trade unions, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the National Association of Proprietary and Patent Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED).
The destroyed items consisted of an array of medicines such as antibiotics, anti-hypertensives, antimalarials, including herbal remedies, psychoactive and controlled substances as well as food products such as spaghetti, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, and sachet water.
Also destroyed were cosmetics such as creams, pomades and chemicals such as fake insecticides.
The NAFDAC DG expressed optimism that the destruction would eliminate the risk the items pose to Nigerian society, reiterating that drug counterfeiting is an act of economic sabotage and a serious health threat to the country.
With Nigeria continuing its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof Adeyele implored the public to be on the lookout for spurious and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines and other products, saying that NAFDAC will ensure a continuous surveillance on the products as well as ensure the enforcement of regulations.