Nigerians have been urged to be of immense help to National Agency For Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) by giving its officials information about factories and people who manufacture, distribute and sell fake, substandard, expired and unwholesome drugs and other edibles in order to curb their menace in the society.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor MOJISOLA ADEYEYE stated this during public destruction of fake, expired and unregistered drugs and other consumables estimated to be over 10-billion Naira at Akinyele dumpsite in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Professor ADEYEYE, represented by the agency’s South West Director, Mrs. ROSELINE AJAYI, said the effort of ridding the system of unwholesome and substandard regulated products from circulation is being supported by sister agencies like Nigerian Custom service (NCS), the Nigeria Police (NP), the Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). She called on all Nigerians to be ambassadors of NAFDAC by joining hands with the agency in its bid to sanitize the food and drug sectors in Nigeria.
“In order for the agency to fulfill its mandate effectively, several strategies are employed and they include the following:
°Registration of Regulated Products
° Laboratory Testing of Regulated Products
° Inspection of Production Facilities and Warehouse
° Post Marketing Surveillance Activities
° Pharmacovigilance
Investigation and Enforcement
° Narcotics and Controlled Substances
°Chemical Evaluation and Research.
“The destruction exercise taking place today in Ibadan is a key component of the functions of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, charged with the responsibility for investigation of unwholesome, substandard, fake and counterfeit regulated products and to mop them from circulation so as safeguard the health of the citizens.
“As a matter of fact, every Nigerian is expected to be an ambassador of NAFDAC, joining hands with Agency in the bid to sanitize the Food and Drug sector in Nigeria.” She stated.
According to the NAFDAC boss, the items for destruction were collected from the five states of the South West Zone (excluding Lagos) of the Agency and Kwara state of the North Central Zone (because of proximity) to South West Zone.
These items include expired products that were voluntarily forfeited by those in the drug distribution channel, unregistered and unwholesome products that were raided from different outlets and warehouses, fake and counterfeit as well as unregistered imported products smuggled into the country.
“The worth of what is being destroyed today is estimated to be ten billion, nine hundred and ninety-one million, four hundred and fifty-eight thousand, three hundred and seventy-four Naira, sixty kobo (₦10, 991, 458, 374.60).” She added.
Representing Oyo State Government at the event, the Chairman, Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Akin Fagbemi said the government will continue to collaborate with the agency to rid the state of people who make money through production, distribution and sales of counterfeit and unwholesome products.
The agency reiterated that the reason for public destruction of confiscated goods is to ensure that those products are not being diverted for personal use or re-injected into the society.