From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that no fewer than 87 truckload of banned, expired, unregistered, suspected, fortified, and substandard medical products were removed from the three major open drug markets in Nigeria located in Idumota, Onitsha and Aba, respectively, in the recent nationwide raid.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the information at the inauguration of the new President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in Abuja, at the weekend.
She further confirmed that more than 40 arrests have been made, which might be followed by prosecution.
She added: “Events of the past weeks are worthy of mention in this gathering, particularly as it relates to the enforcement operations that are being carried out in three open drug markets in the country.
“This operation is part of NAFDAC’s National Action Plan 2.0, (2023-2027) which is to mitigate substandard and fortified medicines, and also protect public health. It is also geared towards strengthening the regulatory framework as well as increasing consumer confidence in the medical products that they consume.”
She stated that NAFDAC and Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) had been working together throughout the enforcement operations closer than ever because the issue of substandard medical products are the responsibilities of the two agencies.
She added: “I recently gave a press conference to inform the public on the blacklisting of Aveo Pharmaceuticals in India, and the banning of a deadly combination of Tapentadol (a powerful opioid), and Carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant with addictive properties that can cause overdose, or death, noting that the mix comes as Tafrodol or Royal 225 meant for distribution in some West African countries only, Nigeria inclusive.
“These are just two out of all the recent activities of the agency aimed at reducing the scourge of substandard and fortified medicines in our country, while also making sure that we have control over access to drugs of abuse.”
The NAFDAC boss, however, made reference to an investigation report by the BBC on how the broadcasting body got the CEO of the manufacturing company on hidden camera who confessed to exportation of large consignments of the combination of drugs across West Africa and their distribution for abuse as street drugs and opioids.
She congratulated Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, on his inauguration as the new PSN President, adding “we had a very meaningful discussion when he visited the agency with his team a couple of weeks ago. That was the day that our nationwide enforcement operations started.
“I have no doubt that we will forge a synergistic partnership in the interest of the profession and all pharmacy professionals. I also congratulated all the new PSN Fellows again on this occasion of their investiture. Three of the new Fellows are hardworking NAFDAC Directors.”