On Wednesday, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) destroyed fake and expired goods worth over N500 million in Abuja. The agency said the move was part of its efforts to protect public health and ensure the safety and quality of regulated products.
The director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Francis Ononiwu, the director of investigation and enforcement, said the exercise was carried out routinely across the country. She said some goods were also voluntarily submitted to the agency by compliant companies, non-governmental organizations, and the Association of Community Pharmacy of Nigeria.
The products destroyed included drugs, food, cosmetics, chemicals, and medical devices that were either counterfeit, substandard, expired, or unwholesome. Some drugs were confiscated from drug hawkers, while others were handed over to the agency by the Nigeria Customs Service.
Adeyeye said drug counterfeiting was an act of economic sabotage and a serious threat to public health. She said NAFDAC had adopted a proactive approach by engaging various stakeholders to sensitize them on the dangers of dealing with fake and adulterated products. She also urged the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activities or products to NAFDAC.
The FCT coordinator of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Isiaku Gamajira, who was present at the event, said NAFDAC was a sister agency in terms of product regulation. He said SON supported NAFDAC’s efforts to ensure only quality products were available. He also advised local manufacturers to obtain product certification to avoid rejection before exporting them.
NAFDAC’s destruction of fake and expired goods is in line with the global campaign to combat illicit trade and substandard products that pose a risk to consumers’ health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, causing millions of deaths and illnesses yearly.
NAFDAC said it was committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians by ensuring that only safe, effective, and quality products were distributed and consumed in the country. The agency also called for more collaboration and support from other government agencies, civil society organizations, media, and the general public in its fight against fake and expired goods.
Source: Tribune Online
