The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken a bold step in its fight against counterfeit and illicit pharmaceuticals. The agency sealed over 3,000 shops in Lagos’ Idumota Open Drug Market during its first week of enforcement operations.
The agency’s enforcement operations uncovered several alarming discoveries. One of the most disturbing finds was the storage of vaccines in dilapidated, unventilated rooms sealed with iron sheets. These unsanitary conditions pose severe health risks to consumers.
Further investigation revealed large consignments of banned pharmaceuticals, including Analgin injections and diverted-free HIV antiretroviral drugs. Additionally, expired medicines awaiting revalidation and unregistered drugs were also discovered.
The sheer volume of illicit pharmaceuticals recovered from the market is staggering. NAFDAC officials evacuated equivalent to 12 truckloads of illicit pharmaceuticals from the market.
A packing shop within the market was found to contain empty packs and cartons of expired, unregistered antimalarial injections. The vials had already been removed, indicating a large-scale operation. A separate warehouse, located away from the pharmaceutical section of the market, was found to contain large quantities of controlled substances. These included Ecstasy (MDMA or Molly), various brands of Codeine Cough Syrup, and Tramadol 225.
NAFDAC has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health and ensuring the safety of medicines in Nigeria. The agency’s enforcement operations will continue to target illegal drug markets and ensure that only safe and approved pharmaceuticals are available to consumers.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its efforts to combat counterfeit and substandard medicines in Nigeria. As part of this initiative, the agency has sealed major drug markets across the country, including the Idumota open drug market in Lagos, the Ariaria drug market in Aba, and the Onitsha drug market in Anambra.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Shaba Mohammed, revealed that the week-long enforcement exercise is being conducted simultaneously across the three markets. These markets serve as distribution hubs for over 80% of medications in Nigeria.
The primary objective of the operation is to tackle traders dealing in counterfeit, substandard, expired, and rebranded drugs that endanger public health. To achieve this, NAFDAC officials will inspect over 5,000 shops, including warehouses and packaging stores, to identify and remove substandard medical products. So far, the agency has made significant seizures, including seven truckloads of suspected falsified drugs, expired medicines, and drugs labeled with images of human parts. These discoveries highlight the severity of the issue and the need for continued enforcement efforts.
In a related operation, NAFDAC officials uncovered a major counterfeiting depot at Umumeje village, Osisioma Ngwa, Abia State. The depot was found to be repackaging and revalidating expired medicines for resale. The seized items at the depot included large quantities of expired potassium chloride, allergy medications, immune boosters, and cholesterol treatments. Additionally, machinery used to alter expiry dates and rebrand drugs was also discovered, indicating a sophisticated counterfeiting operation.
NAFDAC’s efforts to eliminate substandard and falsified drugs in Nigeria are ongoing. The agency is committed to protecting public health and ensuring the safety and quality of medicines available in the country.
Source : https://nairametrics.com/
