The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has initiated an enforcement exercise at the popular Ogbo-Ogwu Market in Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, as part of its efforts to eradicate fake, banned, and substandard drugs from circulation in Nigeria.
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Led by the Director of NAFDAC South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, the agency’s operatives confiscated a variety of adulterated, substandard, and expired drugs during the exercise, which also targeted spurious NAFDAC-regulated products.
Speaking to the media, Iluyomade emphasized the importance of the exercise in safeguarding the health of the public, highlighting the risks posed by counterfeit drugs that could lead to death or disability. He noted that the agency was collaborating with market task forces in the South-East states to conduct simultaneous raids on fake drug markets.
“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 safeguard the health of members of 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.”
The seized products included expired, banned, substandard, defective, repackaged, and recalled drugs, some of which were being disguised as popular brands to deceive consumers. Iluyomade urged the public to only purchase medications from licensed and registered outlets to ensure their safety.
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 100mg), gentamycin 280mg, codeine and controlled substances, vaccines, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals and unwholesome food, empty plastics, bags and cans, among others.
Although the value of the confiscated products was not disclosed, Iluyomade stated that the ongoing enforcement exercise would continue until all fake and substandard drugs were removed from the market. Among the counterfeit items discovered were antibiotics, anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-diabetic medications, herbal remedies, and psychoactive substances.
Representatives from trade unions, market leaders, and other stakeholders were also present at the exercise to support NAFDAC’s efforts in combating the circulation of fake drugs in Nigeria.
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