Former BBNaija housemate, Leo DaSilva, has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to clamp down on the circulation of fake and ineffective medications and personal care products in Nigeria.
Sharing his personal ordeal, DaSilva revealed that within a month, he had unknowingly purchased counterfeit items such as cod liver oil, Gestid, Sensodyne toothpaste, Simple face wash, and deodorant.
He urged NAFDAC to take urgent action, including raiding supermarkets in Abuja, to stem the growing menace of fake products in the market.
He wrote, “The amount of fake drugs, fake deodorants, fake toothpaste and fake skin care in Nigeria is ridiculous. In one month, I have bought fake cod liver oil, fake Gestid, fake sensodyne, fake Simple face wash, fake deodorant, etc.
NAFDAC needs to raid all big supermarkets in Abuja”.
The concerns about fake or ineffective medications in Nigeria have been echoed by Mary Remmy Njoku.
Njoku, an actress and producer, earlier added her voice to the growing concern, sharing her recent experience with food poisoning while on a film set, where she took medication purchased from a popular pharmacy chain in Nigeria.
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However, she said the medication seemed ineffective, and her symptoms persisted for three days not until her husband gave her the same medication, but purchased from abroad, that she began to feel better within minutes.
She emphasised that her case is not isolated and urged NAFDAC to take swift action to address the issue.
The actress warned that the availability of substandard drugs poses a serious public health threat that must be urgently addressed.
