THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it had destroyed over N500 million naira worth of substandard and falsified medicines, unwholesome processed food products, cosmetics and other counterfeit products in the North-East Nigeria.
The agency said the products were seized from importers and manufacturers by its various establishments in the region.
Some of the products were also brought by pharmaceutical and non-governmental organisations within the zones, according to the agency.
In a statement mailed to The ICIR on Sunday by NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant Sayo Akintola, the agency said some of the products included expired NADAC-regulated products voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, including GSK Pharma and non-governmental organisations within the North-East.
Various quantities of medicines such as antibiotics, herbal remedies, psychoactive, and anti-diabetic, including foods such as noodles, palm oil, vegetable oil, ‘ogogoro’ (local gin) non-alcoholic beverages, and sachet water were some of the products destroyed by NAFDAC, according to the statement.
Others were creams, pomade, and chemicals such as fake insecticides, fertilizers, as well as medical devices such as disposable syringe, I.V given set, personal protective equipment and imported falsified packaging materials for counterfeiting various NAFDAC-regulated products.
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Destruction of the seized items was carried out in Gombe, Gombe State capital, by the Investigation and Enforcement team of the agency on Saturday, May 21.
Director-General of the agency Mojisola Adeyeye said NAFDAC would not relent until the nation’s markets were rid of unwholesome food, falsified medicines, and dangerous cosmetics in order to safeguard the health of people in the country.
Adeyeye, who was represented by Bauchi State Coordinator of NAFDAC Dayilim Josephine, said the estimated street value of the products destroyed was N515, 732.587.
She commended the collaborative efforts of sister agencies such as Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria (NDLEA), State Security Service (SSS), amongst others, towards the realisation of its mandate of ridding the nation of counterfeit products inimical to the health and wellbeing of people in the country.
According to her, the products could have found their way back to the markets with the resultant consequences, had they not been seized and destroyed.
A total of 240.15 tons of the burnt items were received from the North-East states, while 40 tons were received from GSK Pharma and destroyed, according to NAFDAC.
Meanwhile, the agency has urged the public to be on the alert regarding the presence of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine on the African continent.
It, however, said, working with other relevant organisations in the country, it would ensure continuous surveillance of such products and continue to enforce the regulations governing the products in Nigeria.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2022. Contact him via email @ [email protected].