The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its commitment to ridding Nigeria of counterfeit and unwholesome drugs towards ensuring the protection of lives of the citizens.
This resolve was re-echoed on Tuesday by the agency, as it destroyed expired pharmaceutical products worth 50 Million Naira in Kaduna State, north-west Nigeria.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii restated that there would be no sacred cows in the fight against counterfeit drugs and substandard food products.
Speaking after setting the contraband products ablaze, Dr Orhii who was represented by the director, Special Duties in the agency, Abubakar Jimoh, said the agency was fully prepared to restore sanity in the health sector and maintain zero tolerance in the fight against counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.
Though the various strategies employed by NAFDAC have resulted in seizures of smuggled containers of fake, substandard cosmetics and food products at the borders, Nigerians have also been advised to remain alert, to stop patronising street hawkers, whom they call merchants of death and to always check the labels of all consumables, which, when expired, can destroy the human organs.
According to the agency, statistics of counterfeit drugs have reduced from over 40 per cent in 2005 to 6.4 per cent in 2012, a feat that was achieved through collaboration with sister security agencies and the general public.
The agency also stated that it was making arrangements to regulate the manufacturing of orthodox medicines to ensure that they do not constitute a threat to the health of Nigerians.
The Kaduna State commandant of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, appealed to Nigerians to join hands with the agency towards ridding the country of counterfeit and expired drugs, adding that his agency will continue to collaborate with NAFDAC and other security agencies in the fight against fake drugs in the country.
