The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Drugs

  • Legal restrictions to sale, advert of drugs

    Preserving the health of the nation requires the need for a strict control of the manufacture, sale and advertisement of drugs.

    This is because drugs are special commodities which could save or endanger the life of the consumer depending on how they are used.

    In realisation of this, government all over the world usually put in place some degree of control over dealings in drugs.

    The objectives of pharmaceutical legislation can be summarised as follows:

    •To provide rules and regulations which will ensure that only people with the necessary training, qualifications and experience handle various operations associated with pharmaceuticals.

    •To ensure that possession of any given pharmaceutical license is in accordance with laid down rules and regulations.

    •To protect the ordinary citizen against the dangers of drug abuse, drug resistance, substandard drugs and drug adulteration.

    There are various legislations regulating and controlling drugs in Nigeria and these includes:

    The food and Drug Act cap 150 LFN 1990; the National Agency for food and Drug Administration and control (NAFDAC) Act No 15, 1993 the counterfeit and fake Drugs (Miscellaneous provisions) Act Cap 73 LFN 1990; The National Drug formulator and Essential Drug list Act, Caps 257 LFN 1990; THE Drug and related products (Registration etc) Act No19, 1993, the pharmacists council of Nigeria Law No 91, 1992; the dangerous Drug Act Cap 91 LFN 1990, THE National Drug Law enforcement Agency Act Cap) 253 LFN 1990; And Pharmacy Law of various states particularly, Lagos State.

     

    Definition of drugs

    Section 20 of the food and drug Act Cap 150 LFN 1990 defines drug to include any substance or mixture of substance manufactured, sold or advertised for use in:-

    •The diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of any disease, disorder abnormal physical state or the symptoms thereof in man or in animal.

    •Restoring, correcting or modifying organic functions in man or animal.

    •Disinfections, or the control of vermin, insects or pets or contraception

    It has to be noted here that section 30 of NAFDAC Act also defines drug in similar terms.

     

    Possible offences

    •Sale of drugs in prohibited places:

    Section 2 (1) of the counterfeit and fake drugs (miscellaneous provisions Act Caps 73 LFN 1990 makes it an offence to hawk, sell or display for the purposes of sale, any drugs or poison whatsoever in any market, kiosk, motor park, roadside stall, bus, ferry or any other means of transportation or other place not duly licensed or registered for the purpose of sale and distribution of drugs or poison.

    It has to be noted that an offence under this section does not depend on the nature or quality of the drug in question but on the place of sale.

    •Manufacture and sale of fake adulterated and substandard drugs:

    Section 1 (2) of the food and drug Act makes it an offence to sell any drug which is adulterated.

    However, the counterfeit and fake drugs (Miscellaneous provisions) Act is more general in contest.

    It prohibits the manufacture importation, sale, distribution, display for the purpose of sale any counterfeit, adulterated, banned, fake substandard or expired drugs. Infact, merely being in possession of the prohibited drugs is also an offence.

    •Offences relating to advertisements:

    It has to be noted that the food and Drugs Act and the Drugs and related products (Registration) Act prohibits certain advertisements.

    Section I of the Drugs and related products Act provides that no drug or drug product shall be advised in Nigeria unless it has been registered in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

    Section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act prohibits advertisements of drugs represented as treatment or prevention of the diseases specified in the first schedule to the Act. Altogether about sixty five diseases and disorders are listed which includes, Alcoholism, cancer, obesity, sleeping sickness and loss of youth. A possible reason advanced for the prohibition of advertisements in these is that since some of the diseases have no known cure, the advertisements are likely to be false.

    The code of advertising practice issued by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) created by Law No 55 of 1988 established by law No 55 strengthens the legal position.

    The code re-affirms the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act and in addition prohibits the following:

    •advertisements of on over the counter (OTC) drug unless it has been registered by the Federal Ministry of Health.

    •offer to diagnose, advise, prescribe or treat by correspondence

    •prevention of ageing

    It also has to be noted here that by virtue of Section 2 of the Advertising practitioners (Registration Act) 1996 as amended, the power to vet advertisement of regulated products is vested on the minister of health.

    •Sale by unauthorised persons:

    By the provisions of the pharmacist council of Nigeria Law the following persons are authorised to sell things.

    •A registered pharmacists

    •A holder of patent and proprietary medicine vendors licence.

     

    Patent and proprietary medicine

    Patent and proprietary medicine is defined as any medicine held out by advertisement, label or otherwise in writing as efficacious for the prevention,cure or relief of any malady, ailment, infirmity or disorder affecting human beings and-

    which is sold under a trade name or trade mark to the use of which any person has claims or purports to have any exclusive right; or of which any person has or claims or purports to have the exclusive right of manufacture or for the making of which nay person has or claims or purports to have any secret process or protection by letters patents.

    No person shall sell or deliver any patent or proprietary medicine unless he is either-

    .a selling dispenser or chemist; or a holder of a patent and proprietary medicines licence.

    The law requires that patent and proprietary medicine shall be sold intact in the box, bottle, parcel or other container in which it was imported, packed or made ready for sale.

    The container must bear the name or trade mark of the manufacturer. Also no person other than a selling dispenser or chemist shall import in bulk and subsequently repack any patent and proprietary medicine. The summary of the requirements is that a patent and proprietary medicine must reach the consumer in the condition in which it left the manufacturer.

     

    Penalties for drug offences

    Each of the existing laws stipulates penalties for offences created therein.

    By Section 17(1) of the Food and Drugs Act, any person who contravenes any provisions of the Act or the regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand naira or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

    It is a defence that the Accused,

    •Sold the article in the same package and in the same condition as it was when he bought it; and

    Could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained that the sale of the article would be in contravention of the Act or regulation.

    The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control Decree only imposes penalty for obstruction of an officer of the agency in the performance of his duties. The penalty for this offence is a fine of N5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.

    Penalties for offences under the Drugs and Related Products (Registration e.t.c.) Act are as follows:

    •in the case of an individual, a fine not exceeding N50,000 or imprisonment for term not exceeding two years or to both fine and imprisonment; and

    •in the case of body corporate, a fine not exceeding N100,000.

    Dealing without registration being the crux of this Act, it is assumed that the stipulated penalties are only applicable to cases of sale of genuine but unregistered drugs. If the drug in question is fake, adulterated or substandard, the penalties in the Counterfeit and Fake Drug (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act will prevail.

    The Counterfeit and Fake Drug (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act contains the highest penalties for drug offences.

     

    Penalty for the sale, manufacture, importation e.t.c. of the prohibited drugs is a fine not exceeding N500,000 or imprisonment for a term not less than five years nor more than15 years or to both. Penalty for sale in prohibited places is a fine exceeding N5,000 or imprisonment.

     

     

     

    The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act

    It contains further penalties where a drug offence is committed by a person registered under it. Section 18(1) give the Disciplinary Tribunal the power to reprimand or order the striking out of the name of a pharmacist found guilty of unprofessional conduct by a court or tribunal.

    There is, no doubt, that any illegal dealings in drugs will constitute an act or unprofessional conduct. Penalties for offences relating to patent and proprietary medicines range between N20 and N200.

     

    Enforcement agencies

    Different Agencies are charged with the implementation of the existing drug laws. For clarity, implementation under each law shall be treated separately.

    Food and Drugs Act

    Enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act is vested in the Minister of Health and the inspecting officers.

    Powers and functions of the Minister include, power to obtain particulars in respect of certain substances; grant of certificate of safety of batch; and declaration of compliance with provisions of the Act. The most important power of the Minister is the power to make regulations for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

    Powers of the inspecting officers are set out in Section 10. These include; power to enter and inspect any premises used for a regulated product; examine any article to which the Act applies, examine any books, documents or other records found on the premises and seize and detain any article by means of or in relation to which any provision of the Act or the regulations has been contravened.

     

    National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and control (NAFDAC)

    National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control is a body corporate established to perform the following functions:-

    •regulate and control the importation, exportation, manufacture, advertisement, sale and use of regulated products;

    •conduct appropriate tests and ensure compliance with standard specifications designated and approved by the council;

    •undertake inspection of imported regulated products;

    •compile standard specifications and guidelines for the production, importation, exportation and sale of regulated products; and

    •issue guidelines on, approve and monitor the advertisement of regulated products.

    Apart from the extension of the meaning of regulated products in the NAFDAC Act to include bottled water and chemicals, the same subject matters are dealt with by both the Act and Food and Drugs Act. Functions of the authorities are similar. The NAFDAC Act which is later in time does not mention the former Act. The only reference is the dissolution of the Food and Drugs Administration and Control Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Services. All assets, funds, resources and movable or immovable property which immediately before the commencement of the Act held office in the Food and Drugs Department shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Agency.

    The implication of these provisions is that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is to administer the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act. This view is buttressed by the fact that the NAFDAC Act does not contain substantive offences.

    This simplistic approach may, however, be faulted by conflicting provisions noticeable in the two laws. These conflicts includes, disparity in the penalty provisions; use of different terminologies in related cases; and differential powers conferred on the Minister. For instance, under the Food and Drugs Act the power of making regulations is exercisable by the Minister on the advice of the Advisory Council. But under the NAFDAC Act, the power is exercisable by the governing Council on the approval of the Minister.

    Silence on the relationship between the two laws creates unnecessary confusion and uncertainty. The Food and Drugs Act deals with substantive issue such as offences and penalties. The NAFDAC Act is more or less administrative in context. In the main, it deals with function and powers of agency and its functionaries. It effectively address the issue of probity of the officers by making commendable disciplinary provision.

    But no offences are created. On this ground it can be argued that the NAFDAC Act cannot stand alone since offenders cannot be charged under any of its provision. It is therefore suggested that the two laws be merged since, as seen from their respective provisions, one complements the other.

     

    Counterfeit and Fake Drugs

    (miscellaneous provision) Act.

    Enforcement of provisions of the Counterfeit and fake Drugs (Miscellaneous provision) Act is conferred on the Federal and State Task Force. The functions of the task force include:-

    .paying unscheduled visits to all ports of entry and border posts.

    .taking sample or specimen of any article, opening and examining, while on the premises, any container or package;

    .examining any books, documents or records found on the premises, which are reasonably believed to contain any information relevant to the enforcement of Act; and

    .seizing any drug or poison which is counterfeit, adulterated, banned, fake, substandard or expired.

    The Task Force also have power to seal up any premises used or being used in connection with any office under the Act.

     

    The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act

    The pharmacists Council of Nigeria is charged with the implementation of provisions of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act. Among other functions, it determines the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by person seeking to become registered members of pharmacists profession. Although enforcement of drug laws is not a direct function, the Council by its nature helps to instill sanity in drug matters.

    The various provision of the Act creates an inherent deterrence against drug offences. In particular, the provisions on professional discipline make it possible to appropriately deal with a pharmacists found guilty of a drug offence.

    Implementation Problems

    From the foregoing discourse it is clear that there exist adequate legislative enactments to control the manufacture, sale and advertisement of drugs. The major problem is that of implementation.

    The food and Drugs Act has been in force since 1974 but not much successes have been recorded. None of the regulations which received the approval of Advisory Council under the food and Drugs Administration and control Department has been passed into law.

    Enforcement procedures are not clearly set out. Apart from the general provisions in Section 10(5), and 14(3), no section confers power of prosecution on any particular person or authority. The position is the same under NAFDAC Act. The result is that a reported case is referred to the police for prosecution.

    A noticeable fact about this procedure is that many cases end up at investigation stage. The authority in charge react by passing the buck. For instance, officials of the NAFDAC blame the police and the judiciary for the recurring difficulty normally encountered in the prosecution of food and Drugs Offenders. They claim that many cases which should have been prosecuted end up mid-stream due to ineffective enforcement.

    Closely related to the above is the delay associated with investigations of reported cases. In some countries such as Britain, such reports are treated with utmost dispatch. The contrary is the case in Nigeria. Investigations, almost always, take an unduly long period thereby creating opportunity for fraudulent dealing with condemned product.

    A case that readily comes to mind is that of destruction of fertility drugs worth=N=11M by NAFDAC officials in Kano on January 28, 1994. The drugs were seized at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in November 1992. They bore neither the name of the manufacturer nor expiry date. Such time lag could lead to many undesirable consequences for instance, some of the consignment could, with the connivance or collaboration of officials, be pilfered and sold to unsuspecting members of the public.

    This research reveals that most provisions on sale of poison and prescription of drugs laws are not observed in practice. Many drug sellers still sell such drugs without prescription.

    Oral request are honoured even by some registered pharmacists. Similarly, in disregard of the law, some patent medicine dealers stock and sell prescription drugs. Some also retail in smaller quantities. Tablets and capsules are freely counted and sold to buyers.

    The main problem in this regard is that of enforcement. Many State Ministries of health are not sufficiently equipped to monitor the activities of the registered pharmacists and patent medicine dealers. In some States, there may not be more than ten pharmaceutical inspectors with no functional vehicles. Much cannot be achieved under this situation especially in view of the large number of registered pharmacy and patent medicine shops in the states.

    Sale of drugs in prohibited places is still noticeable in many towns and cities in the country. The greatest offence in this regard is committed with respect to sale in market places. In 2003, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria was compelled by the then prevailing situation to issue Guidelines and Regulations reiterating the legal position. The result of this effort is yet to be seen as sections of some Nigerian markets are still devoted to the sale of drugs

    Conclusion

    This thesis shows that the various enforcement agencies are making reasonable efforts in the implementation of drug laws. Some public alerts have been issued by the NAFDAC against the consumption of drugs adjudged dangerous to health. Also both the NAFDAC and the task Forces have been embarking on incessant raids, seizures and destruction of illegal drugs. The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria uses the process of de-registration to phase out sale of drugs in market places.

    Despite the above efforts, the scourge of fake, adulterated and sub-standard drugs has continued unabated. This has generated comments from the mass media, individuals and organizations. An irresistible conclusion is that the enforcement authorities are ill-prepared to reverse the trend. In most cases their directives are not backed by practical implementation. For instance, when a drug is declared unfit for human consumption there is usually no follow up action to ensure that it is actually withdrawn from the market.

    The need for closer monitoring of sale of drugs in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised. There should be routine visits to drug factories to ensure compliance with in-house quality control requirements. In addition, quality control laboratory should be established in each state of the Federation. Drugs from every batch should be certified by this laboratory before been put into circulation. To curb the activities of drug fakers, the raids and seizures of suspicious drugs should be intensified.

    The consumer has a very important role to play. Undeserved patronage keeps illegal drug dealers in business. If consumers shun drugs suspected to be sub-standard: make their purchases from accredited sources and report suspected cases to law enforcement agents, the incidence of illegal drugs will be minimized. Education is necessary in this regard as some consumers fall victim out of ignorance. Augustine Ogoma is a Senior Magistrate in Imo State Judiciary Owerri & a research student

     

     

     

  • National Youth Games: Athletes urged to stay off drugs

    National Youth Games: Athletes urged to stay off drugs

    Athletes from Kwara have been told to stay off drugs, ahead of the National Youth Games scheduled from Dec. 5 to Dec 15 in Abuja.

    Johnson Abiodun, the Head Coach, Kwara State Athletics Association, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone on Monday in Ilorin.

    Abiodun said that there was need to discourage youths from doping because they were at the prime of their careers. He urged the athletes to engage in personal examination, to ensure they were free of banned substances because some athletes were ignorant of the supplements they took.

    “It is important we begin to tackle the issue of doping at this level. The National Youth Games is around the corner and athletes need to remain clean. This is the level where the future of Nigeria’s athletics lie and it’s important we start getting things right from this level.

    “I’ll advise that these athletes conduct some self-examination before the competition, so that they don’t tarnish their careers with drugs,” he said.

    Abiodun also appealed to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to ensure that the event was drug free.

    “I want to also appeal to the AFN to create an enabling environment that would guarantee a drug-free Games come December in Abuja,” Abiodun said.

    According to the coach, doping is a huge disadvantage on the career of an athlete because it could prevent the athlete from being consistent.

  • Drugs you should know about: Pain killers

    Pain killing is a paradox. If the commandment: “thou shall not kill” refers to pain we would all be dead by now. Pain is a killer, is seems. It disturbs our enjoyment of life and our productivity. However, pain is not the real enemy. Rather, pain is a warning that something is disturbing our life.

    Very often we try to kill the pain with a drug and forget the something that the pain is warning us about. We use pain killers cosmetically, covering up a medical problem. This is perhaps one of the first things we should remember when we take pain killers. Pain killers work to relieve the pain but one should be on the look-out to see if and how the pain recurs so that any real serious underlying problem can be brought to one’s health care professionals.

    We use pain killers regularly. Some persons may actually use pain killers routinely without any prescription. Choosing a pain killer depends on the kind of pain that one is suffering from. Many pain killers are over-the-counter drugs that one does not need a doctor’s prescription to buy them. Amongst the most popular are paracetamol and NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).

    There are chemical substances in our bodies called prostaglandins. They are amongst the mediators of pain and inflammation. The enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) promotes release of prostaglandins. Disease conditions increase COX activity. NSAIDs are COX inhibitors.

    Paracetamol which is also known as acetaminophen appears to act more directly within the brain. Aspirin and the other NSAIDs inhibit COX in most parts of the body. They decrease both pain and inflammation caused by prostaglandins produced by COX.

    Over-the-counter preparations of paracetamol include Panadol, Excedrin, and Tylenol in 500 mg tablets and they are used for headache, arthritis, rheumatism, and musculo-skeletal pain.

    Paracetamol use is generally safe. However excess or extended use of this drug can cause fatal liver damage and kidney damage. Paracetamol is taken orally or rectally. Intravenous preparations of the drug are also used by doctors to treat patients before an operation.

    Aspirin and NSAIDs are well known to cause peptic ulcers, renal failure, allergic reactions, and occasionally hearing loss, and they can increase the risk of spontaneous bleeding.

    Children suffering from viral illness can develop a severe liver disorder called Reye’s syndrome, if given aspirin.

    Aspirin is the oldest painkiller used in modern medicine and is perhaps the cheapest. Common over the counter names include: Anacin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin for aspirin products. Aspirin is commonly manufactured as 81mg or 325 mg tablets. It is used for minor aches and pains, cold, headache, and muscle ache.

    If you are stressed up and want to use a pain killer for pain, remember aspirin may cause upset stomach and gastrointestinal bleeding because stress increases stomach acid secretion that can lead to ulcer. Paracetamol may be less risky in this respect. Some aspirin tablets (coated and buffered preparations) are specially made to decrease the risk of ulcer therefore ask your pharmacist for such preparations.

    People with asthma should avoid aspirin because it can cause allergic reactions. Children under 16 year are best treated with paracetamol because aspirin can cause Reyes syndrome.

    To be continued.

     

    Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910 or 08160944635

  • Abuja General Hospital and expired drugs

    SIR: One of my friends visited the General Hospital Maitama, Abuja after series of complaints about his health. After examination by the doctor, he was given a list of drugs to buy. He went to the hospital’s pharmacy and purchased the drugs as instructed by the doctor.

    He is to take those drugs for 30 days. This is where I don’t understand: he has taken these drugs for 14 days and the drugs are going to expire within nine days, that is, before the 30 days given to him to use the drugs. If he goes ahead to take the remaining ones after the expiry date, what is the guarantee that the drugs will still be effective?

    Sometime last year, I encountered a woman who visited General Hospital Nyanya, Abuja. She was given some drugs that had only two days before their expiry date and she was to take these drugs for 16 days. Was that right?

    I am not a medical doctor that is why I am asking all these questions. Let us be honest, if you are to choose between drugs that have even a month before the expiry date and the one that has a complete year before it expire, which one would you go for?

    I call on the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii to be monitoring drugs in the government hospitals as well; he should not restrict monitoring activities to those hospitals, clinics and pharmacies owned by the private individuals.

     

    • Awunah Pius Terwase

    Mpape, Abuja.

     

  • Abuse of drugs capable of killing faster, say experts

    Abuse of drugs capable of killing faster, say experts

    Experts say that indiscriminate use of drugs, especially antibiotics can cause complications and drug resistance in future.

    They agree that antibiotics can be lifesavers, but misuse may increase the number of drug-resistant micro-organisms in the body.

    Resistance occurs when antibiotics are no longer effective, resulting to long-lasting illnesses, more visits to the doctor or extended hospitalisation, among others.

    A principal medical officer at the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr Abiodun Awolusi, says most drugs have side-effects and may “even make one’s condition worse’’.

    He explains that people often take pills for common ailments like fever, colds, cough and headaches without bothering to consult a doctor.

    Awolusi says many potent drugs, such as pain relievers, cough remedies, anti-allergies, antibiotics, and vitamins are sold over-the-counter which can cause allergy and addiction to the body.

    He notes that there are some drugs that must not be administered when one has a particular condition, because it acts on the cells in the body.

    He says that antibiotics should be prescribed and the dose adjusted according to the body weight of the patient.

    Awolusi further explains that given drugs without proper examination and diagnosis, can result to causing more harm to the patient or may even worsen the patient’s health condition.

    “When somebody is having stomach ulcer and headache, and aspirin is given, it may worsen the person’s condition.

    “The headache may go but the person may start bleeding from the ulcer,’’ he explains.

    Speaking on the dangers of drug abuse, a public health physician, Dr Baba Ahmed, says that indiscriminate use of drugs, especially antibiotics, can lead to drug resistance and liver problems.

    Ahmed, who works with the National Blood Transfusion Services, says that taking drugs without doctor’s prescription and diagnosis can lead to wrong treatment.

    He says that for antibiotics to be used there should be an indication that the ailment requires the drug, noting that the antibiotic must be sensitive to the organisms being treated.

    Ahmed says that antibiotics are used in the treatment of micro-organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa.

    According to him, antibiotics are anti-microbial. Anti, means to stop a process, while microbial are small living organisms that infest or cause problem in a particular part of the body.

    “Because of their growth or the effect of their presence in that part of the body, antibiotics would be used to treat the patient.

    “Most of the antibiotics taken are reprocessed in the liver and kidney because they are taken indiscriminately; the organs are stressed, resulting in liver and kidney diseases.”

    He also notes that the abuse of antibiotics had become a big problem in the country, adding that “even the health care providers have become a medium for abusing it.

    “The problem we have is that there is no control generally; there is a problem in the way drugs are dispensed in this country,” Ahmed added.

    Ahmed says that indiscriminate use of antibiotics is so bad that people take Flagyl and Tetracycline without prescription once they have frequent or watery stools.

    He advises that antibiotics should only be taken after a test to avoid damage to vital organs.

    Speaking on the appropriate time to use antibiotics, Dr Mamman Ibrahim, a paediatrician at Garki Hospital, Abuja, cautions that antibiotics should be given when children develop symptoms of immune suppression and fever.

    Ibrahim also warns parents against abusive use of antibiotics on children, saying it can be a potential poison.

    He says that improper use of antibiotic could damage the immune system.

    “It is not every child you see with cough and catarrh you will rush and give antibiotics, because it is a viral thing; these antibiotics though they are helpful, they are also potential poison.

    “Everything you give is a potential poison because every drug will go to your liver first before it is metabolised to active form and transferred to its site of action.

    “If you give a child who has a viral thing an antibiotic, you are further depressing that immune system.

    “You are also increasing the risk of the child developing resistance; so please for every cough and catarrh, do not just go and take cough syrup or anything, consult your doctor.’’

    Ibrahim says antibiotics should be given to a child for cough and catarrh only if the child has symptoms of immune suppression, fever and weight loss.

    Drug is no food that should not be taken indiscriminately; so people should heed the advice of experts and avoid taking drugs without prescription.

    •Nwachukwu is of the News Agencyof Nigeria

     

  • 2,000 bags of Indian hemp found in ‘grave’ in Ondo

    Officers  of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ondo State, have impounded 2,000 bags of Indian Hemp valued at over N20 million.
    The bags of marijuana were confiscated by the NDLEA officials after three days operation carried out in the forest at Ago Dada in Akure North Local Government area of the state.
    The bags were evacuated from a grave-like path of a bush where they were buried to conceal them from being detected.
    The State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Walter Nicholas  said the activities of Indian hemp planters and cultivators have assumed dangerous dimension in the state.
    He explained that the barons have continued to devise new methods of concealing their drugs.
    “It is sad that these barons have continued to devise means of concealing Indian hemp from us. This time around they hid the substance in grave like hole to deceive our men”.
    The NDLEA boss lamented that despite the efforts being made by the agency, drug barons are discovering new methods of hiding the substance from the agency’s officials
    He said, “As an agency, whenever we stumble on any form of strategy adopted by these drug barons, we immediately expose it to the public so that collectively, we can provide surveillance that may lead to the interception of actions.

    He said the agency is aware that most of the drug barons have moved to the forest where most of their activities are now taking place, adding that the command is ready to put up 24-hour surveillance around the state.
    For the illicit to be reduced to the barest minimum, Mr. Nicholas said much is still being expected from the law court despite all efforts that have been put in place by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in trying to make Nigeria a drug free society. “.,

  • NAFDAC laments sale of fake drugs

    NAFDAC laments sale of fake drugs

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed worry over the hawking of drugs, and sale of fake and narcotic drugs in Kebbi State.

    The state Director-General of the agency, Mr. Bitrus Fradel, while fielding questions from reporters in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, said the development was dangerous.

    Mr. Fradel, who said hawking of drugs was more prevalent in Jega Local Government Area, also revealed that their exposure to harsh weather is also not in the interest of users as such drugs could be ineffective and harmful to health.

    The Director-General who said that the agency was grappling with the sale of fake and narcotic drugs in the state advised members of the public to be careful about what they buy and consume.

    He said drugs like tramol which are sold in almost every chemist’s store and which are used by many youths in the state should be used only when prescribed by a physician.

    “Tramol is supposed to be a prescribed drug but you can see that the youth are fond of using it indiscriminately,” he said.

    Mr. Fradel added that the registered milligram of Tramol as a product is 50mg. He said it is surprising that 200mg of the drug is available at various chemists’ shops and is being sold to and used by people, especially the youth.

    He said: “We have established a NAFDAC office in Kamba which is a border community with the Niger Republic to avoid the importation of fake Tramol and other drugs into Kebbi State.

  • Ogun council donates drugs, uniforms

    The chairman, Ogun Waterside Local Government, Ogun State, Hon. Tunde Rufai has distributed school uniforms to over 10,000 pupils in public primary schools in the council area.

    The council’s Director of Information, Education and Sports, Prince Segun Soneye, in a statement, said the gesture was aimed at preparing the pupils for the next academic session.

    At the presentation, Rufai said the decision to focus on children is in line with the council’s coordinal programme of rebuilding Ogun State as directed by Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, whom he said, had taken the issue of education with utmost importance.

    He assured his residents that his administration was committed to providing qualitative primary school education to the citizens of the state.

    Drugs were also distributed to all health facilities at subsidised rates. Rufai also laid the foundation of a modern office complex in the council’s secretariat.

    He said that maternity centres and health posts will be built in the Alo and Okeibi communities soon.

    Among the projects that the council had executed in the past few months, according to him, include: Complete overhaul and renovation of Community Development Department Office; resuscitation of electricity supply through to the entire local government area, which had been in darkness for long; payment of outstanding leave bonuses, travelling allowances and prompt payment of staff salaries.

  • ‘Drugs, not religion, is Nigeria’s problem’

    ‘Drugs, not religion, is Nigeria’s problem’

    Professor Ishaq Oloyede is the Coordinator and Executive Secretary of Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). In this interview with Kazeem Ibrhaym, the former Vice Chancellor of  the University of Ilorin insists that Nigeria’s problem is not Christianity or Islam. For him, what is necessary for the adherent of the religions is to tolerate each other and fight drug addiction, violence, bombings and killings.

    What is NIREC set up to achieve?

    The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NREC) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) established by the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with the support of the federal government. We have as co-chairmen the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

    The meeting of the Council from 1999 when it was established up to 2004 were normally held in Abuja. However, in the last three years, the present leadership took the decision of moving the meeting from one geopolitical zone to the other to impact positively on the adherents of our two principal religions and to further sustain religious understanding, peaceful co-existence and promotion of ethical values and good governance. Meetings have been held in Enugu in February 2008, Maiduguri (May 2008), Kano (November 2008). The first and second quarters were hosted by Plateau State (May 2009), the third one was hosted Rivers State (August 2009) while the last quarter was hosted by the FCT (December 2009). We have also been to Bauchi, Sokoto, Oyo and last year in Kwara State.

    The meeting is aimed at addressing among other things the security situation in the country. But I must also let you know that NIREC has as its objectives to honestly and sincerely create fellowship between Moslems and Christians, create a sustainable channel of communication and interaction across religious lines, to promote moral, ethical and social values of our respective religious traditions, provide a forum for mutual cooperation and promotion of the welfare of citizens, to serve as an avenue for articulating cordial relationship among the various religious groups and between the religious communities and the political leadership.

    Why Christians, Moslems must tolerate one another

    We have found ourselves in the same boat; even if you don’t like the other religion what can you do? You start to fight that you don’t want that religion, either Islam or Christianity; then you become the poorer.

    This is exactly what some people are doing that we say is not good., So if you find yourself in the house, the least you can do; if one is responsible and sensible is to tolerate each other. Tolerance is not good but it is better than intolerance. I believe none of you is tolerating money because you like money and when a person says I am tolerating my spouse that marriage is at the verge of collapse. I think what we want is not even tolerance which is the least, it is understanding, you understand why this is this and therefore, you can say I am a Moslem. You should know why I am a Moslem. You are a Christian, I should know why you are a Christian; and when you take an action, I will know that because my friend is a Christian, he must go to church on Sunday. Oh my friend, who is a Christian must pay one tenth of his salary to his church and therefore I don’t need to ask him to account for one hundred percent of his salary. So for a Moslem he must account for 99 percent of his money. You know in Islam, adherents pay 1/40 of net income as Zakat. So understanding requires we know Christians pay 10 percent as tithe while Moslems pay 1/40 as Zakat. We must realise that 90 percent of us are what we are because of the training and where we are born. If you are from Akwa Ibom and you go there to deliver a baby and one woman from Jigawa also goes there to put to bed and the nurse makes a mistake to swap the babies; what would happen? The Jigawa woman will go home with an Akwa Ibom child while the Akwa Ibom woman would go home with the Jigawa child, then as the children grow up they will be thinking they are from where they are told they come from. So, the Akwa Ibom child taken to Jigawa will become a Moslem and the Jigawa child in Akwa Ibom will become a Christian. And when people here begin to fight Hausa, he will be also say we don’t want Hausa; not knowing Hausa blood flows in him. So, the point we are making is that some of these things we now capitalise on are mere accidents and you can become anything by anything .

    If just a nurse makes the mistakes, then you from Akwa Ibom becomes an Alhaji, when you could have become a Bishop. You become a Hausa when you could have become an Igbo or Akwa Ibom person. But we lay undue emphasis on things that are primordial. Now if this country is in trouble today, the pastor and the imam will meet at a point that they will be sitting together, not only in the same house but in the same room.

    In any case, if God had wanted all of us to be Christians we would have been. If He had wanted all of to be Moslems, we would have been.

    On how NIREC has nipped many crises in the bud

    Somebody asked whether NIREC has any value at all with the spate of insecurity in the country, but I think the question we should ask ourselves is if there had been no NIREC, where would we have been? There are so many crises that NIREC has solved that you do not know about. It is the few crises you know about that you believe are too many and that is why you are asking what NIREC is doing. It is like asking us what the security agencies are doing; what are the courts doing when there are still crimes. When people are still committing crime should we abrogate the police, courts judiciary and the prisons service? But if you abrogate those departments, it is then you will know that they have been providing us with succour. I believe it is a challenge to NIREC to do more.

    What is NIREC doing to curb insecurity in the country?

    I think because you have not taken pains to look at the other side; to say if there had been no NIREC, if Christians are left on their own in this country, Moslems are left on their own and there is no way of their coming together to discuss, even if to disagree, then things would have been worse than it is. In any case, when you talk of insecurity, Boko Haram and all other crises you have related to religion as destructive as they are; even without them we still have insecurity. Insecurity is a global issue and it rears its head under any excuse. It might be religion; it might be economic. To me, if you ask me, we are only treating the symptom. We are not treating the real issue. I believe the real problem with us in this country, whatever might have been the reason, is drugs. Most of our youths across the country are acting under the influence of drugs and it is a problem we have to face but we are shying away from calling a spade a spade. When somebody is addicted to drug, that is when he can become an armed robber, or any evil doer. When you see armed robbers being arrested, and you ask them how much were you given, they say N20,000 or N30,000. They talk about money that will make you ask why should somebody decide to kill himself in the process of carrying out such dastardly act. More often than not, he or she is not in his right sense and this is the product of drug.

    In some southern American countries, you know what’s happening; how drug cartels have formed themselves and they are waging war against their society. I believe NDLEA/NAFDAC and other agencies would have a lot to do to solve this issue. My own position is that we must find our youth doing drugs and try to re-orientate and rehabilitate them. Today if you tell somebody you are going to a particular part of this country, they would say you would be kidnapped or armed robbers will attack you; while in another part they will say some religious fanatics can attack you. We are just having different shades of a problem and unfortunately for us, rather than collectively facing the problem we are pursuing shadows, and that is why we now say this one is from this zone, this one is from that zone, and politicians bring this up. As far as insecurity is concerned, NIREC is doing what is can and will continue to do more.

    On the polio crisis in the North

    It is very sad that people who are engaged in rescuing our future, like those nurses were killed in Kano. It is very unfortunate but if you ask us what we are doing on polio, I will tell you that NIREC members are on the National Committee Against Polio. The Emir of Bama in Borno State and one other person are on the committee. And last month they held a meeting in Abuja where they decided on the next phase; just as the governors were meeting to do this. We are doing our best but we are not Ministry of Health; so we are just an NGO. But for your information, before you start asking questions on what NIREC should do that is has not done, NIREC is not a government agency, NIREC is an NGO. We do not control the police, to say go and arrest Mr. ‘A’ or leave Mr. ‘B’. We are just like an NGO making our contributions to peaceful co-existence. So it is unfortunate that what happened in Kano happened but anybody who knows the history of polio vaccination in the North would know that it is a struggle that has been on. A lot of information is going out, re-orientation is taking place. It is, in fact, getting better but it is not good enough and that is why we are having this unfortunate incidents.

    On alleged denial of Certificate of Occupancies to Churches in the North

    We have heard of such cases and we have intervened. Unfortunately, for us in Nigeria, we have this persecution syndrome. If you take a Yoruba man to tell the history of Nigeria, he will just start the story from when Awolowo was imprisoned, that Hausa and some people connived together and Awolowo was jailed. If you asked a Hausa to tell you the problem of Nigeria, he will start with the assassination of Tafawa Balewa and Co. He will say that one day they just woke up to discover the Igbo eliminated them.

    If you ask an Igbo man to tell you the story, he is going to tell you about the killing of Aguiyi Ironsi and how they wanted to send the Igbo away from the North. Everybody picks what is suitable for him to anchor on; not giving the whole picture. He just gives what is convenient for him.

    I do not know of any major town in the North where you do not have up to 500 churches. I do not know of any town in the North where you can travel for one kilometre before you get to a church. It is unfortunate that in Nigeria we emphasise only the negative. For everyone man in the North that is denied C of O there will be 50 that have been granted. It is not good to deny but what we are saying is that it is not as if you cannot build churches in the North or you cannot build mosque in the South. Please when there are cases of aberration, let’s treat them as aberrations and collectively fight them.

    We have more than 250 ethnic groups in this country and they have been fighting one another before Islam and Christianity came and they are still fighting, but religion has reduced it to two or three. It is human to have differences and when you have differences you solve them.

    On how drug encourages crime

    Government knows who the Boko Haram people are; they can’t tell us that they don’t know them. They are in their custody; they should make them available to us to interact with them. We want to interact with them so that we can make sense out of their nonsense. So I want to say that as terrible as the Boko Haram episode is, I don’t see it as the major issue. I see the major issue that we are not attacking as drugs. What leads somebody to Boko Haram or kidnapping is drugs.

    Some people say poverty is the problem, yes, that may be part of the problems but I think the issue is madness induced by drugs. Majority of our youth across the country are now involved in drugs. Let me give you an example, in the North where you say they are Almajiri, go and see the amount of cough syrup that are being sold in the North, they are being used as drugs. The truth is that we are in for a serious problem of drugs. Our people are getting addicted by the day, some unconsciously. Go to the North, the people you claim are poor, you see them going to get excreta of certain reptiles in the house wrap it and use as drugs. They use gum, rubber from vulcaniser as drug. They are very cheap to get.

    Rather than facing those problems, we are now facing the externalities of the problem by saying it is Boko Haram, kidnapping and so on. Go and interview those people and you will find that they are not themselves, they are acting under certain influences and certainly that influence is drugs.

    Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, people look for any reason to terrorise. If here those who are attacking us across religions are using platform of Islam to say Boko Haram, Moslems have told you clearly that they are not Moslems. Islam does not teach or send anybody to go and kill. We also have cases of people using the name of Christianity to do what is unchristian. So I think we must collectively fight those who are bastardising the names of our religions.

    Major success of NIREC

    I must tell you that since 1999 till date, NIREC has been a major success of providing a platform for communication at the highest level of these religious bodies.

    If any problem is linked to religion today, the Sultan will not start looking for the CAN’s president number to call him. They interact almost on a daily basis. We are meeting here now and part of what we are going to discuss is how to rescue the two religions from the problem of the secularists who are daily attacking religion as if religion is the problem. It is when religion survives that there will be Christianity and Islam. But today what we are having is that people think religion is the problem. And that is why when 419 people were buying aircrafts and jets there was no problem but immediately religious people started buying jets, they started attacking and saying even they are buying jets, as if they are born to suffer. So the point we are making is that religious people as religious people have problem internally and externally but NIREC has provided a platform for us and we have been using that platform effectively. There are a few cases which we were unable to manage properly, then you see the effect, you now say what is NIREC doing. If you know what we settle at the level of NIREC you will be amazed.

    At ABU Zaria, in the last two years there has been the conflict on providing land for a church. They said a new land was given at Kongo but the Christian community wanted another one and Moslems said no, it is close to the mosque. We have been on it and we are trying to settle and when we settle that and it does not become a national problem you won’t know. But if it goes out of hand it is that one you will know. Please know that there are so many problems we are solving. One of our success stories is unity, you may not know; because you think we are disunited.

    How NIREC is fighting corruption

    You asked why we are talking only to poor people to stop corruption and wondered why we are not talking to rich people. The truth is that we talk to the big people as we talk to the so-called ordinary citizens. The truth of the matter is that NIREC, almost every year makes position paper available to the big people. Recently one of the co-chairmen said we have told the president what to do about X or Y. We keep on talking and we continue to talk. Just as most of the parents talk to their children, yet some of them go astray, we continue to talk, preach and appeal to them but their non-compliance is not a proof of our inactivity.

    The challenge of NIREC

    I think the greatest challenge we face is how to bring down prejudice. People have fixed positions. Many people believe that in some parts of this country you are not safe because they slaughter human beings and eat them. It is something that has been passed from one generation to the other. Some people say that some groups in this country are homosexuals. Some people believe so many funny things. The primacy of the individual is what is important. Until you live with the person, don’t make up your mind against the person. My own take is that Lagos created some of these prejudices we carry along because it is in Lagos you have all kinds of people. They are just beer parlour jokes that people have now developed into monsters and unless we work very hard, we will continue to have the problem. But let me say here that whether you are a Christian or Moslem and if there is a fine girl you are running after, you won’t ask her religion. When you go to Corporate Affairs Commission and you want to register your business, go and see that Alhaji and Bishops co-own companies at that time they don’t care whether you are a Christian or Moslem. But when it comes to issue of welfare, people start segregating among themselves. In Ilorin where I live, there are sections where they say they are the real indigenes; you have some that are second class indigenes. In Lagos, not all Yoruba can beat their chest and say they are from Lagos; they will stone them.

    If you go to the East, they have free -born and slaves. So the point I am making is that we have so many reasons to be different but let us work together for the sake of the country.

  • NDLEA decries drugs use in Abia

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has decried the increasing rate of cocaine and heroin consumption in Abia State.

    The Agency’s State Commander, Mrs. Florence Ezeonye, said the agency made a seizure of 1,112 kilogrammes of cocaine, heroin and cannabis last year.

    She said cocaine was 683.9grammes, cannabis 1110.3kilogrammes and heroin 1.46kilogrammes.

    The State Commander said 230 persons were arrested, comprising 211 men and 19 women.

    “We are moving forward at least you can see the increase in the quantity of cocaine and heroin seized in 2012.

    “I can say that people are leaving the trade of cannabis to that of harder drugs.”