The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Drugs

  • FG launches national task force to combat counterfeit drugs, unsafe foods

    FG launches national task force to combat counterfeit drugs, unsafe foods

    The federal government has launched the Federal, Zonal and State Task Forces on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods in a decisive push to safeguard public health and reinforce Nigeria’s healthcare system.

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Pate, and the Director General (DG) of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the initiative as critical to Nigeria’s health security, economic stability, and international reputation.

    Both acknowledged that while progress has been made, with substandard and falsified medicines estimated at less than 10 percent of the market, Nigeria cannot afford to relent.

    While inaugurating the Task forces in Abuja on Friday, Pate said the initiative was not just a procedural step but a very important moment in the nation’s ongoing effort to protect the health and safety of every citizen.

    “This is about protecting not just our present but also our future. Our children are growing up in environments where exposure to unsafe products could determine their health decades from now,” he said.

    He noted that NAFDAC’s designation among the top national drug regulatory authorities in Africa and globally as a Maturity Level 3 (ML3) regulatory authority by the World Health Organisation (WHO) underscores the agency’s strategic role in safeguarding public health.

    The ML3 designation signifies that NAFDAC operates a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system for medicines and imported vaccines, meeting international standards.

    The Minister outlined how the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s health agenda, which rests on four pillars of strengthening governance in the health sector, improving population health outcomes, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and advancing national health security.

    He said counterfeit medicines and unsafe processed foods directly threaten each of the goals, making the Task Forces essential to safeguarding the health of Nigerians.

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    He explained that fake drugs not only fail to treat health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancers but can also accelerate complications and mortality.

    Similarly, noting that contaminated or substandard processed foods can contribute to cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and other life-threatening illnesses, the Minister stressed, “These illicit products endanger lives and erode trust in our healthcare system.

    “If Nigerians cannot trust what they are getting, they will not take what is necessary to save their lives.”

    The Minister stressed that a strong regulatory system protects legitimate manufacturers from unfair competition by producers of substandard goods and helps position Nigeria as a reliable source of quality medicines and foods for the West African region.

    Highlighting the economic stakes, Pate said Nigeria’s over 200 million people and neighbouring countries depend on products manufactured locally, making regulatory vigilance a matter of both domestic and regional importance.

    He called for uncompromising collaboration between government agencies, security forces, industry, and the public, urging zero tolerance for corruption or compromise.

    “The fight against counterfeit drugs and unsafe food is urgent. Every delay costs lives and livelihoods. This is a shared responsibility,” he noted.

    Pate also linked the initiative to the broader African sovereignty agenda, noting that many diseases caused by unsafe products are preventable if governments act early.

    “We don’t have to wait until we have cancers, kidney disease, or hypertension before we act. Prevention is cheaper and saves more lives,” he said.

    NAFDAC DG Adeyeye reinforced the urgency, describing counterfeit and substandard products as an insidious threat that jeopardises the health of our citizens, the integrity of our healthcare system, and the trust Nigerians place in the products they consume daily.

    She revealed that between February and March 2025, NAFDAC carried out large-scale operations in major drug markets, including Onitsha and Ariaria, seizing and destroying over 100 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard products worth more than ₦1 trillion.

    Noting that the raids led to numerous arrests and the removal of dangerous medicines, unregistered drugs, and unsafe foods from circulation, the DG said, “These operations sent a clear message: Nigeria is serious about protecting its citizens.

    “But lives are at stake every day, and delays in action only deepen the risks. We must act now, with purpose, resolve, and unity.”

    She stressed that success would depend on robust collaboration with industry, law enforcement, and consumers, backed by public awareness campaigns and technological innovations to track and prevent the infiltration of fake products.

    The task force, empowered by Cap C34 laws, will operate at the Federal and State levels, with members drawn from NAFDAC, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Armed Forces, the Police, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and other regulatory bodies.

    The 10-member Federal Task Force and its sub-national counterparts will prioritise surveillance, rigorous enforcement, and public education to empower citizens to identify and reject counterfeit products.

    Adeyeye added that the fight is also about restoring trust, “Together, we will protect our citizens, uphold our national health standards, and restore confidence in the integrity of our medicines and foods,” she said.

    While assuring that funding challenges would be diligently addressed, the DG appealed for state governors’ cooperation and full support for the Task Forces’ mandates.

    The Federal Task Force Chairman, Martins Iluyomade, also pledged that members would uphold the integrity of the initiative’s objectives without compromise.

  • Fed Govt plans to reduce cost of drugs, ensure best practices

    Fed Govt plans to reduce cost of drugs, ensure best practices

    By Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN.

    Nigerians have generally been thrown into more hardships healthwise since the American Government under Mr. Donald Thrump stopped the financing of USAID to all countries including Nigeria. This action has created unexpected problems, especially in the health sector as aid to this sector is no longer available and majority of the drugs and medicines used by our health institutions and pharmaceutical outlets are imported with the prohibitive prevailing foreign exchange rate. It is in response to this unfortunate development that the Nigerian Government introduced several initiatives to reduce the cost of medicines in the country.

    Key plans include:

    • Rejuvenating Local Pharmaceutical Industry: The government aims to boost local production of medicines, making them more accessible and affordable. This move is expected to reduce dependence on imported drugs, which are often more expensive due to foreign exchange rates.

    • Executive Order to Lower Drug Prices: The government plans to issue an executive order to control and lower the cost of essential pharmaceutical medications. This order aims to enable local manufacturers to survive, thrive, and deliver life-saving commodities.

    • Presidential Initiative to Unlock Pharmaceutical Value Chain: Launched in October 2023, this initiative focuses on stimulating local manufacturing, improving access to quality pharmaceuticals, and reducing costs. The government is working with the private sector to finalize an instrument addressing fiscal policy constraints for raw materials and manufacturing equipment.

    •Procuring Essential Medicines: The government has announced efforts to procure essential medicines to address rising costs of medications and healthcare products. This move aligns with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objective of reducing the financial burden associated with health services.

    • Expanding Health Insurance: The government is working to reform the health insurance landscape, believing that an expanded National Health Insurance Scheme would enable millions of Nigerians to access healthcare services, including essential medicines, without bearing the full cost.

    Challenges and Potential Impact:

    • Devaluation of Naira: The high exchange rate has made procurement of raw materials and equipment imported for production extremely high, contributing to the current high cost of medicines.

    • Long-standing Healthcare Financing Issues: Affordability of healthcare financing in Nigeria has been a long-standing issue for over 40 years, with less than 10% of Nigerians having health insurance or any issuance.

    • Potential Benefits: If successful, these initiatives could make medicines more affordable, reduce dependence on imported drugs, and contribute to the growth of the local pharmaceutical industry.

    • It is our contention that in as much as the government policy on cheap medicines in Nigeria is good and in the right direction if implemented with vigour, we suggest that the agency charged with the regulatory framework should be energised monitor and enforce the smooth implementation of the scheme so that many people will actually benefit to access the medicines.

    • Reacting on the policy, a Lagos-based medical practitioner and social commentator Dr. Waheed Shoyembo, said the plans of the government to make medicines cheaper to the people of this country are very commendation, especially at this time when economic hardship is becoming unbearable to Nigerians.

    • To him, whatever that is done by the government to cushion the effect of the prevailing hardship will be welcomed by all, as the cost of accessing treatment in our health institutions is very prohibitive.

    • Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approved this scheme last Monday according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

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    • The prices of medicines have been skyrocketing in recent times as a result of naira devaluation and other variable indicators, thereby making healthcare accessibility to the poor and the vulnerable in the society unaffordable and brutish.

    • But questions will arise in assessing this policy of government as to what extent will it go in comparison to what is obtainable in other climes.

    • Is this a novel approach to solving non availability of cheap and affordable medicines to the people or will it end the same way most government policies are abruptly brought to an end or manifestly managed poorly by those given the responsibility to make positive change.

    • Here are some guides to best practices for medicine cost reductions, whether you’re managing a healthcare facility, working in policy formulation, or just trying to stay solvent while staying alive:

    Strategic best practices for reducing medicine costs:

    1. Promote Generic Substitution

    Why it works: Generic drugs are up to 85% cheaper than branded versions.

    Best Practice:

    Implement policies that mandate generic prescribing when therapeutically equivalent.

    Encourage bulk purchasing of generics for hospitals or national health systems.

    2. Pooled Procurement

    Why it works: Buying in bulk across regions or hospitals boosts bargaining power.

    Best Practice:

    Use group purchasing organizations (GPOs) or regional consortiums.

    Examples: The WHO’s PAHO Strategic Fund, African Union’s AVAT for vaccines.

    3. Essential Medicines Lists (EMLs)

    Why it works: Keeps procurement and inventory focused on cost-effective and necessary drugs.

    Best Practice:

    Update your EML regularly to reflect current evidence and disease burden.

    Prioritize cost-effective treatments over fashionable or marginally beneficial ones.

    4. Regulate Markups and Profiteering

    Why it works: Cuts down on exploitative pricing along the supply chain.

    Best Practice:

    Cap wholesale/retail markups via price controls.

    Monitor supply chain transparency to prevent hidden costs.

    5. Local Manufacturing and Technology Transfer

    Why it works: Reduces dependency on foreign exchange and import markups.

    Best Practice:

    Offer incentives for domestic production of generic medicines.

    Support public-private partnerships for manufacturing capacity.

    6. Smart Formularies and Therapeutic Interchange

    Why it works: Drives competition and price negotiation.

    Best Practice:

    Create formularies based on cost-effectiveness, not pharma influence.

    Encourage therapeutic interchange with clinical decision support systems.

    7. Use of Health Technology Assessment (HTA)

    Why it works: Ensures that new drugs entering the market are worth the cost.

    Best Practice:

    Mandate HTA reviews before reimbursement or inclusion in public procurement.

    Example: NICE in the UK, which frequently denies overpriced meds with low benefits.

    8. Combat Irrational Use and Overprescription

    Why it works: Less waste = less cost.

    Best Practice:

    Invest in prescriber education and auditing.

    Use e-prescribing systems with built-in checks against overuse.

    9. Incentivize Cost-Conscious Prescribing

    Why it works: Doctors and pharmacists often drive unnecessary costs.

    Best Practice:

    Provide performance-based incentives tied to cost-saving and rational prescribing.

    Monitor patterns using electronic health records (EHRs) and intervene accordingly.

    10. Public Awareness Campaigns

    Why it works: Informed patients ask for generics and resist pressure to overconsume.

    Best Practice:

    Use media and community outreach to promote value-based medicine consumption.

    Bonus Tip: Tame the Patent Beast

    Where legally viable, challenge questionable patents and utilize TRIPS flexibilities (e.g. compulsory licensing) to bypass monopolistic pricing, especially in LMICs.

    Need a tailored strategy for a specific country or facility (e.g., Nigeria’s NHIA framework or HMO models)? I can break it down further.

    Comparative Analysis of Medicine Costs in Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana

    The cost of medicines varies across countries due to factors like local manufacturing capabilities, import dependence, currency fluctuations, healthcare policies, and government regulations. Below is a comparison of the costs of medicines in Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana.

    1. Côte d’Ivoire

    • Overview:

    Côte d’Ivoire’s healthcare system faces several challenges, including limited access to essential medicines, the prevalence of counterfeit drugs, and economic factors that contribute to high prices.

    • Medicine Prices:

    • Prices can be higher due to the importation of most pharmaceutical products.

    •There is a notable issue with counterfeit medications, which affects the market, making genuine drugs expensive and less accessible.

    • Regulatory Environment:

    • The government does not have a fully centralized procurement system for medicines, leading to fragmented and inconsistent pricing in the market.

    • Key Challenges:

    • Counterfeit medicines are prevalent, and many low-cost alternatives enter the market.

    • Access to essential medicines is restricted in rural areas due to the high cost of imported medicines.

    • Typical Medicine Prices:

    • Certain essential medications like antibiotics and pain relievers can cost up to 30-50% higher than in some other African countries, due to importation costs and low local production.

    2. South Africa

    • Overview:

    South Africa has a relatively well-developed pharmaceutical sector, with a regulated market for medicines and a government-led procurement system aimed at keeping prices lower.

    • Medicine Prices:

    •  Prices for medicines are controlled by the Single Exit Price (SEP) system, which regulates the cost of drugs in both the private and public sectors.

    • For example, South Africa’s antiretroviral (ARV) treatment costs are among the lowest in the world due to bulk procurement and negotiations for affordable pricing.

    • Regulatory Environment:

    • The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) oversees the regulation of medicines, ensuring that both pricing and quality standards are maintained.

    • The government has adopted a centralized procurement system for key medicines, including ARVs, reducing the price per person significantly.

    • Key Challenges:

    • In the private sector, the cost of medicines can still be high due to additional fees and markups by pharmacies and hospitals.

    • Importation of specialized medications also results in price fluctuations.

    • Typical Medicine Prices:

    • Generic medicines tend to be affordable, especially in the public health sector.

    • Prices for ARVs are substantially lower, around $75 per person per year in government-funded programs.

    • Common medications, like antibiotics, are comparatively cheaper than in many other African countries.

    3.Nigeria

    • Overview:

    Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa but faces significant challenges in its healthcare sector. A large portion of its medicines are imported, leading to fluctuations in drug prices due to currency depreciation and inflation.

    • Medicine Prices:

     The cost of medicines in Nigeria has been rising dramatically, particularly since 2020. The Naira has devalued significantly, making imports more expensive.

     Common medications like antibiotics, painkillers, and antihypertensive drugs have experienced price increases of up to 1000% in the last few years.

    • Regulatory Environment:

    • The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulates the import and distribution of medicines. However, lack of strict enforcement of pricing regulations has led to unpredictable pricing in the market.

    • Key Challenges:

     Currency devaluation has a significant impact on the cost of imported medicines.

     Inflation and poor economic conditions have compounded the cost issue.

     Many Nigerians are forced to rely on out-of-pocket spending for medications, with some paying as much as 37 days’ wages for a single course of antibiotics.

    • Typical Medicine Prices:

     Ampiclox 500mg antibiotics, for example, saw price increases of over 1,000% from 2019 to 2023.

     Insulin prices have also increased by more than 30% in the past few years.

    4. Ghana

    • Overview:

    Ghana faces similar challenges to its neighbors when it comes to medicine costs, including reliance on imports and currency volatility. However, the country has made strides in improving access to affordable medicines in certain sectors.

    • Medicine Prices:

    • Medicine costs are relatively high in the private sector, but the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) helps subsidize the cost of some essential medicines.

    • Comparative Overview

    Country Medicine Price Trends Key Factors Influencing Prices Regulation & Access

    Côte d’Ivoire High prices due to imports and counterfeits Counterfeit drugs; import reliance Lack of centralized procurement; high rural cost

    South Africa Controlled prices; generic drugs affordable Single Exit Price system; bulk procurement (ARVs) Regulated by SAHPRA; affordable ARVs in public sector

    Nigeria Significant increases (up to 1,000%) Currency devaluation; inflation; import reliance Price fluctuations; lack of effective regulation

    Ghana Moderately high, but NHIS helps reduce costs Import reliance; inflation; currency depreciation FDA regulates, but rural access issues persist

     Like other West African countries, Ghana struggles with a high level of imported medicines, which can drive prices up.

    • Regulatory Environment:

    • The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana regulates the pharmaceutical market, but issues like counterfeit drugs remain a concern.

    Ghana has made attempts to localize drug production, but local manufacturing is still not sufficient to meet demand, contributing to high prices for many medicines.

    • Key Challenges:

    • The exchange rate and inflation contribute to high import costs.

    • Access to medicines in rural areas can be difficult due to high prices and transportation costs.

    • Typical Medicine Prices:

    • Essential drugs like antibiotics and antihypertensive medicines are usually slightly more affordable compared to Nigeria but still higher than in South Africa due to the reliance on imports.

    Summary:

    • South Africa offers relatively affordable medicines due to regulation, particularly in the public health sector.

    • Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana face high medicine prices due to import reliance, with issues in rural areas and counterfeits being prevalent in Côte d’Ivoire.

    • Nigeria has the highest increase in medicine prices, driven by currency depreciation and inflation, affecting accessibility for many people.

    Efforts to reduce medicine prices in all these countries would benefit from stronger regulatory frameworks, enhanced local manufacturing, and strategic procurement practices to reduce reliance on imports.

    Having assessed this whole effort of government in reducing the costs of medicines in Nigeria and the challenges ahead of procurement and manufacturing locally, in addition to strengthening the regulatory framework, it is our view that the government should ensure that this program succeeds as it will help the people to access medi-care.

    CONCLUSION

    Reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines is not just an economic imperative. It is a national survival strategy that will depend on key parameters. First, by investing in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, the country can create jobs, save foreign exchange, strengthen health security, and tailor treatments to its unique disease burden. However, manufacturing alone won’t move the needle unless it is backed by strategic procurement practices that prioritize local suppliers, ensure quality, and create stable markets.

    In my view, these twin strategies form a powerful engine: manufacturing builds capacity, and strategic procurement sustains it. This synergy can transform Nigeria from a passive importer into a self-reliant, export-ready pharmaceutical force, resilient in crisis, competitive in trade, and proactive in safeguarding public health.

    This is the way to go.

    • Shittu SAN is a leading litigator and rights defender

  • Declare open drug market a public health emergency – Pharmacists tell NGF

    Declare open drug market a public health emergency – Pharmacists tell NGF

    Pharmacists under the platform of Pharmacists Affairs Group have advised Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to declare Open Drug Market a public health emergency. 

    The group also advised the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Bill.

    The group noted that these are necessary in order to safeguard the health of the citizens. 

    The group made the plea via a communique issued at the end of its April 2025 edition of the Point Blank Dialogue, a platform for crucial discussions on Nigeria’s healthcare system. 

    The virtual event, held via Zoom, gathered stakeholders from regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical distributors, policymakers, academia, and healthcare professionals to address the impact of Open Drug Markets (ODMs) on Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain.

    The event which has “Circumventing the Impact of Open Drug Markets on Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Supply Chain,” saw expert speakers outline the devastating effects of unregulated drug markets on public health, with calls for urgent reforms.

    Some of the speakers at the event include; Pharm Anthony Bola Oyawole, FPSN, Past Chairman, PSN Lagos State, and CEO of Barod Associates Ltd, Pharm Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, FPSN, Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (PWDAN), and CEO of New Heights Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Pharm Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, FPSN, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN). 

    The experts who spoke at the conference noted several critical issues that need urgent attention. 

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    They decried the rise of open drug markets in the country, advising the NGF to declare it a public health emergency.

    They also urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Bill. 

    “Key findings. Experts noted several critical issues that need urgent attention. The rise of open drug markets: PPMVs, initially created to address pharmaceutical gaps in underserved areas, have unintentionally contributed to the proliferation of ODMs in Nigeria.

    “Regulatory oversight over PPMVs has been historically inadequate, leading to the unchecked spread of substandard drugs. ODMs cost Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry over ₦200 billion annually in lost revenue due to illicit sales. 

    “Research has shown that ODMs are responsible for a significant percentage of counterfeit drugs in the market, endangering public health. The closure of the Sabon-Geri Open Drug Market in Kano by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC serves as a model for successful interventions.

    “Resolutions and calls to action. During the dialogue, participants resolved to take the following actions. Close open drug markets: Fast-track the establishment of Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) in key states and intensify enforcement against non-compliant markets.

    “Strengthen Supply Chains: Prioritize local manufacturing and establish a blockchain-based tracking system to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain.

    “Launch a national #DrugSafetyNG campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of unregulated drug markets. Legislative Advocacy: Call for the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to declare ODMs a public health emergency and expedite the passage of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Bill.

    “Participants committed to reconvening in October 2025 to assess the progress made in tackling ODMs and improving Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain. Additionally, a six-month progress report will be published, detailing efforts on CWC establishment, the closure of illegal markets, and supply chain reforms.

    ” The Pharmacists Affairs Group is dedicated to improving the pharmaceutical sector in Nigeria, focusing on regulatory reforms, public health advocacy, and collaboration with national and international stakeholders”.

  • Anti-malaria drugs, Genotype AA and  kidney disease (2)

    Anti-malaria drugs, Genotype AA and  kidney disease (2)

    Metal poisoning in the north: southerners, beware

    As I was contemplating this column, another important health hazard story broke out in Northern Nigeria, swamping especially Sokoto and Zamfara states. Poisonous  heavy metals  which were making the rounds included Lead, Arsenic, Mercury and Cadmium. The report did not  say if the heavy metals were found in the air, water and food. They were the heavy metals which The Guardian Newspaper reported in the 1980s were present in Lagos State thousands of times more than the safe levels permitted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Science reporter Seun Ogunseitan  found then that these metals were prevalent in underground water sources, especially in wells, around which were mismanaged waste dumpsites, and that the public water works had no equipment to remove them from the drinking water pipes for millions of people. This sparked a controversy about whether heavy metal toxcity may not be widespread in Nigeria and  may be a major cause of the growing rate of cancer and other killer diseases. It took about 30 years later for the the government of Lagos State to officially confirm that underground water was, indeed, poison. While heavy metals poisoning in Lagos maybe due to natural occurence, mismanaged waste dumpsites, traffic pollution and tyre burnsfires, the outlook in the Northm is still unclear. However, there are speculations that the major cause maybe a mishandling by the Chinese and Indians of illegal mines of gold and quantum energy minerals such as Lithium.

    I cannot quickly abandon this subject despite the commitment I have to conclude the discussion on malaria and uterine fibroids begun last week from events in the United Kingdom and publications by Dr .Ignatius Onah. To  do so may amount somewhat to an act of irresponsibility when heavy metal poisoning in the North may easily spread to the South through the food chain, and in view of the ignorant expressed by Orthodox Medicine managers in the North that they alone can treat metal toxicity in humans. By ignorant, I refer to the public campaign by health authority to exclude Alternative Medicine Practitioners from the management of heavy metal poisoning. This campaign is somewhat funny because Alternative Medicine had been in the forefront of therapy and caregiving for heavy metal poisoning for hundreds of years when Orthodox Medicine use gold, for example, as medicine or did no more than supress symptoms of heavy metal presence in the bloodstreams and tissues.

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    For example, Alternative Medicine recognises that not all cases of depression and behaviour imbalances are due directly to brain misfunction. Heavy metal presence in the brain  has been found  largely responsible for many of them, and this has been why detoxification of brain, bloodstreams and tissues has always been the starting point of therapy in such ailments under Alternative Medicine. For example, Chlorella is employed to move heavy metals  out of the brain into the bloodstream and Cilantro employed to move them into the urinary system for excretion out of the body. For decades now, chelated minerals have joined the army of heavy metal detoxification agents. Chelation means attaching to, and dragging out from the body. Chelated Zinc is popular now and more expensive than Elemenal or plain Zinc. Sometimes ago, EDTA joined the league.EDTA is Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid. When  Ferdinand Munz introduced it into the market in 1930s, EDTA was jealously prescribed only by doctors. Now, it is freely sold in health food stores and online as capsules, powder and suppositories e.t.c.  In the 1980, I was excited by a reported side effect of EDTA. A gentleman was going blind because the vessels which supplied his eyes with blood were becoming blocked unknown to him.  His doctor gave him EDTA for blockages in his arteries which made him hypertensive. The hypertension disappeared, and his vision simultaneously improved because EDTA cleaned out those blockages in his eyes blood vessels as well.  Today, the internet described EDTA as fellows…”Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid  is a synthetic organic compound commonly used as a chelating agent, which means it can bind to metal ions, such as lead, mercury, and calcium, and help remove them from the body or a solution. It has various applications in medicine, industry, and research.”

    The North of Nigeria may impact the South with heavy metals challenges if puddles of water on the surface of its illegal and unprotected open mines run off  into  farm lands and crops pick up these metals molecules which are then transferred to man through the  food chain. The air maybe a vector. So maybe streams and rivers which connect with Southern water resources. About two years ago, pilgrims to River osun in Southwestern Nigeria were asked  not to bathe in the river or to take its water home for drinking, as they previously did in Osun-Osogbo festival of rrituals, because the river was suspected to be metal polluted. Many people in Lagos eat fish from this river and may, thus, become exposed to heavy metal challenges in their bodies.

    The risks of heavy metal toxicity can be grave, depending on the level of exposure and individual factors. The symptoms, may include mood swings, cognitive impairment, drooling, various degrees of memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, nerve damage and neurological questions which may involve vision challenges, muscles and bone problems, intestinal issues, skin problems, respiratory problems and kidney damage, among  others.

     Dr. Ignatius Onah

    I was talking about several well-packaged anti-malarial pharmaceutical drugs which may be selling in Nigeria, and have been found to cause kidney failure and damage in the United Kingdom (UK)… and Dr. Ignatius Onah’s evidence-based revelations that breast cancer and uterine fibroids are rampant now among women of African descent because hair shampoo,  hair growth creams, hair relaxers, reset oil and hair colourants nowadays contain toxic chemical substances. He said they  enter the bloodstream, disrupt and vandalise the endocrine gland system to cause this health”armageddon”. From the North came the news of an outbreak of metal poisoning among the population and the warning that Nigerian Traditional Medicine (NTM) Practitioners should not treat it. The government public health alert and warning did not immediately state which type of metal poisoning it was referring to, and it betrayed ignorance that Traditional Medicine of many countries have been treating metal poison for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In Nigeria since the 1980s or much earlier, even Alternative Medicine Physicians have been educated enough to know that heavy metal detoxification and detoxification of other substances is the first step they must undertake in the treatment of any gruesome or cruel disease such as brain death threats, depression, Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder( ADHAD), Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, neurological disorders, prostate gland challenges, uterine fibroids and cancers, among others.

    Back to Mrs. Obayuana

    Irrespective of the importance of North  metal poisoning outbreak, this series will go to bed today.  In the first part,  literally speaking, I nervously searched for Mrs. Comfort Obayuana, of Health Ways whose activities with healing herbs kept many Nigerian families malaria free for some decades. The last time we spoke years ago about her seeming sudden disappearance from the natural health products scene, she said the high cost of diesel oil which powered her production lines compelled the retreat. What I have tried to do here, before I hurry to Northern Nigeria, is to recapture  years of the following safe, anti-malarial herbs on which Nigeria ought to have built, without lying prostate before importation of foreign drugs which may now be the root cause of kidney and other organ damage in near epidemic levels. If the purveyors of these toxic drugs can invade the United Kingdom and perhaps other European countries, irrespective of their sophistry, what chances against them has a country like Nigeria where public officials are like “born thieves” and are too ready to sell off their country for a pot of pottage?

    Uterine Fibroids

    Like the growing rate of kidney troubles, uterine fibroids among women of all ages in Nigeria appear a ravaging epidemic. About three weeks ago, I heard the heart wrenching story of a 65-year-old woman who lived for some years with uterine fibroids of the size of a baby. Finally, she resolved it through surgery. Even then, she is not smiling now in victory  because her doctors said she had, meanwhile, developed endometrial cancer. This is the cancer of the endometrium, that is lining of the uterus or womb which is shed very month to kick-start menstruation if the egg descended from the ovaries is  not fertilised in the fallopian tube. This is an interesting development because, at 65, estrogenation should not be a problem of this woman, unless she is consuming chemical or exogenous estrogens from plastic packaging such as in water sachets or plastic bottles or from poultry egg, chicken, turkey, cow milk and estrogen-fed chickens. I sought a clue in anti-mosquito sprays and hydrocarbons. Dr. Ignatius Onah, a prolific writer on research findings, suggested in one of his articles last week that the uterine fibroids menace in Nigeria may be from hair dressing salons. There may be a great grain of truth in his statement because I did a quick rule-of-the-thumb check which seemed to confirm it. With my mind’s eye, I scanned the uterine profiles of many women who cannot do without a treatment with chemical relaxers, shampoos e.t.c. and those who long ago turned their backs on them, including my wife and immediate younger sister, and advised myself that almost everyone in the latter group had no history of uterine fibroid or even breast lumps.

    This would have been a good harvest season for Mr. Sam Ayeni to bring to Nigeria Alafia Hair Care Products. They are made in the United States by some African Americans who imports the ingredients from Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire . The ingredients for the shampoos, relaxers, sprays, lotions and creams include palm oil and palm kernel oil, among others. Mr. Ayeni had business talks with the African-Americans when he went for Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother and Maria Treben Bitters. He gave up on a follow-up after sea pirates, operating legitimately as shippers, literally speaking, chopped off his fingers and making away with containers load of his Bragg orders.

    This column has been urging him not to fear another step. Afterall, didn’t we all, as children learning to walk, not mistep and fall  several times before we learned to walk and to run?

    Back to Mrs. Comfort Obayuwana

    This sub-heading is my peg for natural medicine for quelling malaria storms. Mrs. Comfort Obayuwana was making quite a number of them before she, too, stepped out of line. Here are suggestions for herbs which must always be in the Herbal First Aid Box of every Nigerian home, from my experience.

    Awopa Bark

    It was one of the herbs which saved my life during an  encounter with  Corona Virus: Look-Alike Symptoms, Join the Lexicon….See facebook @johnolufemikusa. It was one of the plant medicines which bounced covid-19 from me. It was as though hot charcoals were placed all over my body. I lost appetite and could not sleep. I alternated, to see which was better, with boiling some cuttings and drinkng the water infusion, and soaking them in a glass bottle which I kept in the sun from sunrise to sunset to solarise the extracts and add some power from all Seven Colours of Light (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet). Our forebears did this for radiations of the sun or of the moon and stars in their medicinal portions or bath water. Not long after, the news went around from other sources worldwide to Nigerians in diaspora that this tree bark could save their lives.

    Chanca Piedra

    Mrs Obayuwana of Health Ways made the powder of this versatile, ubiquitous evergreen plant for sale. When I suggested it to a young architect whose blood sugar count rose  to over 400, he went for it with a shrug of the shoulders. About one week later, he came to see me with a gift. His blood glucose level was only a few points from normal!  Opthalmologist Prof. Bukola Adefule-Oshitelu has added a feather to the cap of this plant Yorubas call Ehinbisowo or Ehin Olube. She has made an eye drop of it for glaucoma and cataract. Asians gave it the name Chanca Piedra or “stone crusher” because they say it dissolves kidney and gall bladder stones which often  require surgery to address. This plant is hypotensive, that is good for lowering high blood pressure, it’s an anodyne (pain-relieving) improves male virility and provides iron in anaemia. However, Chanca Piedra is more reputable in my view, as an anti-malarial. During my encounter with covid-19, I boiled it or solarised it as I did with Awopa Bark. I also soaked it in  aromantic schnapps and solarised. The outcome is not only a terrible weapon against  COVID-19…which are worse than malaria fever temperature but against blood sugar as well. When  boiled or solarised, chanca has a golden yellow colour. Solarised in aromatic schnapps, all the chlorophy 2 infused, I became afraid of it without food beside me!

    Karella

    This product from Mrs. Obayuwana sold like hot cakes in Lagos and other parts of the country. Like Chanca, it was a  multi-purpose herb used more as ann anti-malarial. It is the  Indians who call it Karella. The English call it Balsam Pear and the Yorubas, Ejirin. In men and women, it may slightly offset fertility if taken in excess, but the fire returns almost as soon as it is withdrawn. There are some reports that it may work against uterine fibroids. Definitely, it is a good anti-malarial to have ready in the cupboard.

    Utazi

    As Mrs. Obayuwana is an Igbo, you can trust her to not forget what this herbs represents in Igbo herbalism. Utazi is an ingredient in a  pepper soup brand that is given to women who have just been delivered of babies to help them rid abdominal tissues of fluid logs and prevent wrinkles. Against the malaria parasite, plasmodium, this plant can be a heavy duty warrior. As I often had malaria calls from the school of my Genotype AA son, I worked out an agreement with him. He loved the sweet protein-milk product Muscle Blast for building sport muscles. Boys love to grow tall and muscular. You men know why. This product is sugary, another problem. I got round that by emptying about four powder packs of Karella into the big jar of Muscle Blast until the sugar was virtually hidden. The product kept its proteins and cream. We defeated malaria in school!

    Egungun Eja

    This is a Yoruba plant which translates in English as FishBone. So, many Yorubas at first assume it is powdered fish bone. However, it is only so named because the leaves have the shape of spinal contours in some fish.

    Pawpaw leaf

    Like Egungun Eja, pawpaw leaves come in powder packaging from Mrs. Obayuwana’s Health Ways. The leaf stimulates platelet production to minimise or stop internal beeding. In Vitamin K-2 defficient persons, it has been used in Asia to stop dangerous bleeding in Dengue Fever caused by a particular breed of mosquito, has enzymes to destroy foreign proteins, including those of typhoid parasite. Above all, this is a wonderful anti-malarial.

    Lemon Grass

    We probably underestimate it because it easily grows almost everywhere. I add two or three drops of Lemon Grass Oil to about 1.5 liters of water for re-hydration in malaria fever. One or two bottles are enough to quell the fever. I have not tried to solarise it or to extract its contents in gin. However, boiling it is popular in Nigeria. In almost every Nigerian village, it is known  as a malaria healer.

    Awogba Aarun

    This is a cure for “200 diseases”, going by its Yoruba name. I grew it as an anti-snake in and around my house when I noticed their furs on the steps of the entrance door. They disappeared. Their smell is  so intense that I, too, sometimes step away from them. Passers-by who know this plant for malaria, migraines, Hypertensions cures stop over to ask for  leaves or seedlings. Some squeeze out the juice right there on the  road and massage it on their foreheads, around their necks or on the temples.

    Inexhaustible Bar

      As we say of the bar at a pub or at a party, the “bar is inexhaustible” with Mother Nature when it comes to plant remedies for any ailment. It is as if she foresaw our carelessness and stupidity or ignorance and took the troubles to make provisions against every blunder. Thus, I cannot understand why we head on a dangerous mission to Sokoto (m:m:m) town for an anti-malarial recipe while what we  need is in Sokoto (d:d:d) pocket.

  • Nigerian lady recounts arrest in UK for saying ‘drugs’ instead of ‘medication’

    Nigerian lady recounts arrest in UK for saying ‘drugs’ instead of ‘medication’

    A Nigerian woman residing in the United Kingdom has shared a startling experience where she was arrested and detained due to a misunderstanding stemming from her use of the word “drugs” instead of “medications”.

    In a widely-circulated TikTok video, the woman recounted how she had visited a pharmacy to collect medication for her ailing husband.

    During a phone conversation with him, she innocently used the term “drugs” to refer to the medication, unaware that bystanders were misinterpreting her words.

    Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers arrived and took her into custody, inquiring about the location of the “drugs”.

    The woman clarified that she had meant medications, but her explanation was initially met with skepticism.

    She was subsequently transported to a police station, where she was detained and subjected to questioning.

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    The authorities even conducted a search of her residence before ultimately releasing her.

    The woman humorously attributed her ordeal to her “Nigerian English”.

    Recounting the incident via a video on her TikTok handle, she said: “I got arrested yesterday, last night, and got detained. Now, I am going home. Story time. So, yesterday, I went to the pharmacy to get some drugs for my husband.

    “Then, when I got it finish, I was on call to say, ‘Ah, I got the drugs, I got two drugs for you. So, when I get home, when you use it, you are going to be strong.’

    “Ok. Not knowing people closer to me were like, ‘drugs, drugs, drugs,’ but I wasn’t bothered ’cause I felt I didn’t do anything wrong. Before I knew it, the police came. When they came, they were like, ‘where are the drugs.’

    “And I said what drugs? This (displaying the medications she got) was literally what I was referring to as drugs, because I went to get this for my husband because he wasn’t feeling well. I told them ‘oh drugs, I meant this. Then they said ‘medication’, I said ‘Yes’. They didn’t believe me anyways.

    “They took me to the police station. They detained me. They asked me questions.

    “They didn’t release me until they had searched my house. This Nigerian English is not just putting me into trouble, but in big mess.”

  • Brazil-based businessman arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

    Brazil-based businessman arrested with drugs at Lagos airport

    • NDLEA intercepts UK-bound consignments in Lagos 
    • 3.1million pills of opioids in Kano; 2,777kg cannabis in Lagos, Edo

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Brazil-based businessman, Ezeokoli Sylva, with 700 grams of cocaine in his stomach, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

    Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said the discovery was made by their operatives at the airport when the suspect who has lived in Brazil for 35 years returned home.

    According to the statement, the 59-year-old Ezeokoli was arrested last Friday at the E-Arrival hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil on Ethiopia Airlines flight via Addis Ababa.

    When he was taken for a body scan, the result confirmed that the suspect had foreign objects concealed in his stomach.

    Babafemi said as a result, he was placed under excretion observation during which he expelled 29 wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine weighing 700grams.

    The NDLEA spokesman said, according to the suspect’s statement, he claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes and clothes.

    He said the suspect claimed he bought the illicit consignment in Sao Paulo to resell in Nigeria to raise substantial capital to boost his business.

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    He also said NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Investigation and General Investigation (DOGI), on November 26 intercepted two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injection going to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos.

    He said while the cocaine weighing 200grams was concealed in local fabrics, 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 110grams were hidden in cartons.

    The statement reads: “In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, 28th November arrested three suspects: Jamilu Adamu, 38; Umar Musa, 32; and Bunu Ali, 27, with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 pills exol-5 at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria road.

    “No fewer than 2, 120 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Ilesan beach, Lagos on Thursday 28th November.

    “A suspect, Onibogi Muftau was arrested in connection with the seizure while four vehicles that were to convey the shipments from the water front were also recovered.’’

  • Why not?

    Why not?

    There is nothing wrong with testing politicians for drugs

    Politicians are at their best when arguing over either nothing or something. When especially in the legislative houses, they huff and puff, either to gain attention or give the impression that they are friends of the people they represent, with a view to winning the next election.

    The debate over enacting an act to establish a National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation offered such an opportunity in the Senate as it sparked a row over it that was desirable. While Senator Rufa’i Hanga who sponsored it,  and Senator Sumaila Kawu who spoke in support argued vociferously that the institute had become imperative, given the alleged prevalence of substance abuse in the country among some politicians, those opposed to it also found time to object to the substance of the bill.

    We quite agree that the rate of hard drug abuse, promotion and peddling in the country now calls for taking another

    look at the legal framework for tackling the menace that is strongly linked to the growing rate of crime in the country. It is an open secret that the views expressed in the chamber by Senator Kawu to the effect that politicians promote the growing use of hard drugs in the country is not new. However, the fact that it came from one of their own is quite significant.

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    The senator who represents Kano South said, “As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices, most of our houses when you go there, you will find a mountain of drugs. There are drug dealers in our offices and houses – in all our houses.” It was shocking to his colleagues who thought it was a sweeping statement, but he was speaking from a position of knowledge and threw a challenge that he was ready to lead a search to substantiate his claims. It is easy to get it all settled in the now familiar mode of killing the move without thoroughly examining what provoked it in the public interest, even though it passed the second reading test; we, the informed and critical stakeholders following the development should ensure that such an important piece of legislation lives to sanitise the society.

    We agree with Senator Adams Oshiomhole who argues that there should be no more proliferation of agencies in the country and such an end could still be achieved by strengthening and expanding the scope of the lead institution for fighting infestation of drug abuse, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). There is also the National Orientation Agency (NOA) that could be made more functional and enabled to establish a desk for promoting awareness of the menace and its implication.

    But, it is frightening that the country’s leaders could be implicated in such a horrendous crime. As the senators promoting the bill explained, rough necks recruited during elections to fight opponents are usually armed with drugs and weapons. Such become hooked on it and they become serious terror to the society.

     The trial of the Offa armed robbers established this as politicians were mentioned as sponsors of the criminals whose cases were decided in September.

    Nigeria must find an urgent solution to the festering danger to national security. The NDLEA has said no less than 15 per cent of citizens are hooked on drugs. In the same way that tertiary institutions’ students are being proposed to be made to undergo drug test at admission, politicians who are being empowered to run the state should do the same. It is time to put in place measures to have leaders who are above board.

  • Yusuf orders probe of drugs supply contract to Kano LG councils

    Yusuf orders probe of drugs supply contract to Kano LG councils

    Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, on Sunday, August 18, ordered an investigation into an alleged contract for drug supplies across the state’s 44 local government areas.

    The governor, however, denied knowledge of the contract.

    Yusuf directed the head of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhuyi Magaji, to probe the matter and submit a report immediately.

    The governor’s directive was conveyed in a statement jointly signed by his Commissioner for Information, Baba Dantiye, and Media Director General, Sanusi Bature, and made available to The Nation.

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    The statement said: “The governor is not aware of the contract said to have been recently awarded for the supply of drugs to 44 Local Government Councils of the state.

    “The governor therefore directed the Executive Chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) to immediately investigate the allegation and report the outcome for further necessary action.

    “Governor Yusuf also urged the good people of Kano State to exercise patience pending the outcome of the investigation.”

  • Drugs concealed in candles, ladies’ wears seized in Lagos

    Drugs concealed in candles, ladies’ wears seized in Lagos

    • •Beninese top list of arrests
    • •Nasarawa-bound drugs for illegal miners in FCT nabbed

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized illicit shipments of cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

    Its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who said some suspects were also arrested, indicated this was a blow to the frantic bid of drug syndicates and some courier firms in Lagos to smuggle drugs.

    Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu was on July 18, 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilogrammes hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service.

    He said a search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits, including some drug paraphernalia, such as weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.

    Babafemi said a Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.

    He said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on July 19 intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.

    He said the bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.

    According to the statement, further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.

    Babafemi said also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, who was travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.

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    He said the suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline.

    The spokesman said the bag had eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg concealed in the ladies’ native clothes.

    The statement indicated that the suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on delivery in Dubai.

    Babafemi said not less than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on July 14 recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100 per cent search of the container at Tincan port in Lagos.

    He said two suspects – Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi – had been arrested.

    Babafemi also said a 48-year-old one legged man, Amadu Garba was arrested by NDLEA operatives in his house at Yawuri town, Kebbi State with six bags of cannabis weighing 67kg on July 16.

    The statement reads: “In Abuja, two suspects: 60-year-old Ademola Elusakin and 34-year-old Nuhu Friday Adamu – were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Monday 15th July with 30kg of the same psychoactive substance along Kwali-Gwagwalada-Abuja Expressway on their way from Lagos to Nasarawa State.

    “Elusakin claimed he procured the consignment from Ghana via Lagos with Keffi, Nasarawa State as his final destination, where they were to supply illegal miners operating in the area.

    “At least, 305 blocks of cannabis weighing 152.5kg were recovered from a suspect, Sale Bukar, 39, who was arrested at Geidam in Yobe State on Sunday 14th July while taking the illicit consignment to Diffa, in Niger Republic.

    “While a suspect:  Aham Regal Chinemeze, 43, was nabbed on Thursday 18th July with 60kg of same substance along Owerri – Onitsha expressway, Imo state, Adamu Abdullahi, 24, was arrested with 40.500kg on Wednesday 17th July along Obajana -Kabba expressway, Kogi state.

    “The consignment was recovered from him in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.

    In Plateau State, a raid on the storehouse of a notorious drug dealer, Choji Gyang (aka Pararam) who is at large, at Rukuba road, Jos led to the recovery of 34 bags of cannabis weighing 312kg while his manager, Kelvin Onwutalu, 43, was arrested.

    “Two suspects: Ifabiyi Johnson, 27, and Adeleke Musiliu, 54, were on Friday 19th July arrested with different strains of cannabis sativa weighing 30.4kg during a raid in Osogbo, Osun State.’’

  • 65-year-old ex-convict arrested with drugs

    65-year-old ex-convict arrested with drugs

    Operatives of National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Osun State has arrested a 65-year-old grandfather, Dauda Lamidi, for hiding 1.550kg cannabis inside engine oil gallons.

    It was gathered that Lamidi was arrested in Iwo, while heading to Ibadan, Oyo State.A statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Charles Odigie, confirmed that Lamidi was convicted for the same offence in 2019.

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    “He was intercepted by our operatives on Saturday. He has dried cannabis which weighed 1.550kg inside two engine oil gallons.”