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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has commenced investigations into the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member at the Orientation Camp in Agwu, Enugu State, following reports linking the incident to the use of substandard or falsified medicines.
The victim, Etimbuk Daniel, was the immediate-past President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Akwa Ibom State University.
In a statement, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions about the cause of death pending the outcome of investigations.
She said preliminary information indicated that the corps member was first taken to the camp clinic on Wednesday, October 7, with symptoms suggestive of severe malaria and a history of peptic ulcer disease.
According to her, he was treated and stabilised before being discharged with oral medications the following morning.
“He returned to the clinic on Saturday, 10 October, with right thigh pain, profuse sweating and recurrent episodes of low blood pressure. Due to his deteriorating condition and poor urine output despite fluid resuscitation, he was referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, where he became comatose. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful,” she said.
Adeyeye noted that according to the preliminary clinical assessment, the suspected cause of death was acute kidney injury secondary to severe dehydration and shock, adding that the findings are preliminary and do not establish whether the medicines administered contributed to the death.
She said NAFDAC officers have visited the camp clinic, interviewed the attending medical personnel and other staff, and collected samples of the medicines for laboratory analysis and further regulatory action.
“The agency will take appropriate action based on the outcome of its investigations,” she said.
The NAFDAC DG commiserated with the family of the deceased and urged the public to remain calm while investigation continues, restating the agency’s commitment to ensuring that medicines available in Nigeria meet required standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate last Thursday ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the corps member’s death.
Anietie Ekong, media aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the Red Chamber resolved to investigate the incident following a motion of urgent public importance moved by the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Aniekan Bassey, who called for a review of medical services in the NYSC orientation camps nationwide.
The investigation will be conducted by the Senate Committees on Police Affairs, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, Youth Development and Health, in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
