Prior to the establishment of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in 1993, adulterated and counterfeit drugs had become a major problem in the country. Indeed, it was so serious that some African countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone banned the sale of drugs, foods and beverages produced in Nigeria.
An incident in 1989 was particularly instructive: over 150 children died after being administered Paracetamol syrup containing diethylene glycol.
Although fake and counterfeit drugs, foods, beverages and even cosmetics have not been eradicated in the country, the agency has put up a good fight against their producers and importers, with varying degrees of success. It would appear that NAFDAC recorded its most significant successes during the tenure of Dora Akunyili, a pharmacist and pharmacologist, who was at the helm from 2001 to 2008.
It however seems the agency is coming alive again, especially with the string of successes it has recorded in recent times in fighting fake and counterfeit drugs. It has also heightened the tempo of its surveillance with a view to getting those behind the heinous crime arrested and prosecuted.
Perhaps the latest of such efforts is its intention to prosecute 60 firms that allegedly faked its registration numbers. Mrs. Yetunde Oluremi Oni, the agency’s acting director-general told newsmen that the suspected fakers were arrested following intelligence report by NAFDAC’s Pharmacovigilance and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate on a facility suspected to be producing a herbal medicine with fake NAFDAC registration number.
Oni, who spoke through the director, investigation and enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, said: “During interrogation, one of the suspects arrested in the company claimed that the product was duly registered with NAFDAC and even tendered registration certificate to the investigators. But further investigation revealed that the NAFDAC registration certificate was fake.
One Mr. Yahaya, in collaboration with two others, Mr. Abubakar Ibrahim a.k.a Lamido and Idris Adamu (prime suspect) were allegedly involved in the shady business. “Adamu, based in Sokoto, was said to have designed the NAFDAC certificate using a computer, printed and way billed it to Mr. Abubakar Ibrahim, a.k.a Lamido, in Kaduna, who filled all necessary information and signed. He further confessed to have received N100, 000.00 from the N150, 000.00 given by the client”. Oni said further investigation was ongoing and that the case would be prosecuted.
This is serious. It is bad for consumers of the products; it is bad for NAFDAC and it is bad even for the legitimate owners of the forged registration numbers.
Given the widespread nature of the illegal business outfits, NAFDAC deserves commendations for swooping on the criminals who do not mind to make money by serving others what may well be poison in the name of drugs, foods or cosmetics. The agency has been making stunning discoveries all over the country, particularly in recent times, from Lagos to Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Sokoto states, to mention a few.
NAFDAC should intensify the monitoring not only of fake drugs and other items produced locally but also keep tabs on imported ones. This is much more so because some heartless importers have gone to the extent of instructing drug manufacturers in some countries to lower the standards of the drugs and other products that they import. The effect, especially on drugs, is that it reduces their potency, with little impact on patients on whom they are administered.
We cannot tell how many innocent people have fallen victims as a result of these inhuman and ungodly activities of the unscrupulous Nigerians involved in these rackets. Their activities have to be reduced to the barest minimum if not eradicated. NAFDAC’s responsibility in bringing this about is quite huge and we call on the government to give it the necessary support in the interest of all Nigerians. We are not happy that the agency’s workers are currently on strike over welfare matters. The Federal Ministry of Health should find a way of resolving the issues so that they can return to their duty posts immediately. The kind of service they render is not one that allows for prolonged absence at work.
