The Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera has advised relevant stakeholders to comply with the warning of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to refrain from the importation, distribution, sale and use of four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals and manufactured in India.
Mr Irukera who issued an advisory in Abuja stated that the products includes; Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
According to him, “On October 11, 2022, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in fulfilment of its mandate, and exercise of its powers, issued a warning to importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to refrain from the importation, distribution, sale and use of four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals and manufactured in India.
“NAFDAC determined that the products do not meet applicable standards, thus are not approved for use in Nigeria” Mr Irukera said.
He explained that NAFDAC’s warning is consistent with a global medical product alert issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, which linked the death of sixty-six children in The Gambia to the said cough syrups.
“Reports indicate that the medications were exclusively delivered to The Gambia. However, the existence of informal and uncontrolled marketplaces, as well as mutual regional trade liberalisation policies, make it conceivable, and certainly not improbable that exposure in Nigeria could occur.
“In strengthening, and further propagating the alert and warning by NAFDAC, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) hereby and now issues this advisory, and in particular, advises any relevant stakeholder to comply strictly with NAFDAC protocols identified in NAFDAC’s release or regulations and guidelines, Irukera said.
The FCCPC Boss noted that the commission will work with competent authorities to forestall possible entry or sale of the products in the Nigerian market.
Emmanuel Ukoh
