By Our Correspondent
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, had raided the popular drug market at the Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, confiscating large quantities of suspected substandard, adulterated and expired drugs.
The operation, which was led by the Director, NAFDAC South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, took the traders by surprise as they moved from shop to shop and removed a wide range of drugs.
Products found to have been faked and counterfeited include antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiacs, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, herbal remedies and psychoactive drugs.
There were also banned drugs such as analgin, tramadol (above 100 mg), gentamycin (280 mg), codeine and controlled substances, vaccines, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals and unwholesome food, empty plastics, bags and cans, among others.
Iluyomade said the exercise was in line with the agency’s mandate of eradicating fake, banned and other spurious NAFDAC- regulated products from circulating in Nigeria and to prevent members of the unsuspecting public from falling victim.
He said the agency was working in collaboration with the market task force, adding that the exercise was carried out simultaneously across all the five South-East states.
He said: “What triggered the exercise is that over time, we have been collating data and gathering intelligence on fake and substandard drugs in the markets, and we discovered that people are repackaging and re-bagging fake and counterfeit drugs in the market.
“The exercise is aimed at riding 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 sanitizing the drug markets and safeguarding the health of members of the 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.”
He advised members of the public to patronize only licensed and registered drug outlets, adding that security operatives and the investigative team of the agency, as well as other stakeholders, are on the ground monitoring and ensuring that the enforcement goes smoothly.
Representatives of the various market unions, market leaders, the market task force, and other critical stakeholders were present during the exercise.
