Tag: NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about the illegal sale and distribution of an unregistered brand of condoms in Nigeria.

The agency on Thursday said officials from the Post-Marketing Surveillance directorate discovered Foula condoms (packaged in threes) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Katsina State.

It reads: “The condom is not registered by NAFDAC for use in Nigeria, and the labelling of the product is not in the English Language.

“Condoms are a proven effective barrier method that can be used as a dual-purpose method for both prevention of unintended pregnancy and protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. To be most effective, any barrier method used for contraception or preventing infection must be used correctly.”

It stated that the illegal distribution or sale of unregistered condoms poses a risk as the safety, quality, and efficacy of the products are not guaranteed.

“The purchase and use of poor-quality condoms will adversely affect every aspect of condom promotion for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, and protection against HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections. If condoms leak or break, they cannot offer adequate protection.

Read Also: NAFDAC workers vow to continue strike

“All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the unregistered products within the zones and states. Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid importing, distributing, selling, and using illegally distributed products.

“All medical products/ medical devices must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked. Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng

“Similarly, healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med- safety application available for download on android and IOS stores or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng,” NAFDAC stated.

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), NAFDAC Branch, has vowed to continue its ongoing strike action till their demands are met.

In an interview with NAN on Saturday in Kaduna, the Chairman of the chapter, Adetoboye Ayodeji, said it is left for the agency’s management to call the union for negotiation in order to see actionable evidence that things would be done appropriately.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that workers of the agency began an indefinite strike on Oct. 7, to demand the review of the 2024 promotion examinations.

The strike was also to address the allegations that the majority of the staff were not promoted as a result of the purported “vacancy slot” from the Head of Service, even when they all qualified to be promoted.

Ayodeji also claimed that some statutory arrears and other benefits were not paid to some of the staff employed by the agency in 2022.

He explained that the union’s had earlier signed an agreement with the government and NAFDAC management in 2022 bordering on the workers condition of service which ought to have been finalised.

“The issues in the agreement were supposed to be settled in December 2022 but till date, none of the agreement have been complied to.

“Allowances that are supposed to be approved on or before December 2022 have not been approved, the condition of service could not be approved,”he lamented.

Ayodeji said the union had written several letters to the NAFDAC management regarding the concerns without adequate response.

Read Also: Strike: NAFDAC refutes claims of workers’ demands

He also alleged that m in 2024, the agency did promotion examinations with many of the staff who passed the examinations not promoted.

He added that the management’s claim was due to lack of vacancy.

“Unfortunately the management was recruiting at the same time into the positions that they claim there was no vacancy while those that are rising through the ranks are not promoted, outsiders are brought to occupy the positions,” he alleged.

Ayodeji wondered why not up to 220 staff were promoted in the examinations that were written by over 700 staff.

“Only 36 per cent of participants in the examinations were promoted, we therefore said no, it is never possible.

“They cannot promote less than 80 per cent of the participants.

“We rejected the entire promotion exercise and asked that more staff be promoted. There can never be motivation in an agency where 36 per cent of staff are only promoted.

“It will have a devastating effect on the staff morale thereby affecting the health of the 200 million Nigerians,”he said.

Speaking further, the chairman said part of the reason for their strike action was an issue of allowances in the staff salaries that was lingering for over 20 years.

Ayodeji said the union had written to the NAFDAC management but no reason or explanation was given and even issued a two-weeks note before the strike but no response.

NAN reports that Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC’s Director-General, in a statement issued to NAN on Monday, denied all the claims.

She claimed that the agency had been following the rules on payment of arrears and estacode, and reiterated its commitment to promoting the workers’ welfare.

(NAN)

The director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has dismissed the claims made by aggrieved workers as the basis for their industrial action, describing them as “untrue.”

She emphasised that while the management has been attentive to the workers’ welfare, it is limited by its mandate in matters such as promotions and certain remunerations.

In a statement on Monday by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the DG however reiterated her commitment to the workers’ welfare.

As at the time of filing this report, the workers have not called off the one-week-old industrial action, as their demands remain unmet, though, it was gathered that negotiations to end the strike are ongoing.

The workers are protesting the agency’s failure to promote the significant number of staff who participated in the 2024 promotion interviews.

According to the aggrieved workers, despite many of them meeting or surpassing the required pass mark, NAFDAC management cited a lack of vacancies, leaving more than 500 eligible employees without the promotions they had earned.

They are also protesting NAFDAC management’s failure to uphold a 2022 agreement that addressed workers’ welfare and promotion issues.

However, in the statement, the DG refuted the claims made by the striking workers, stating that they are untrue, highlighting several actions taken to reposition the agency and create a conducive working environment for the staff.

According to Akintola, since the assumption of office in February 2022, the DG has spearheaded significant reforms to enhance the agency’s operational capacity.

According to him, the DG inaugurated 73 new operational vehicles, including 43 Hilux vans, 20 Toyota Camry cars, and 10 buses, in key locations like Abuja, Oshodi, and Apapa.

These additions were aimed at improving regulatory inspections, staff welfare, and operational efficiency.

Additionally, under her leadership, a N3.2 billion debt was cleared within a year of her appointment, demonstrating her commitment to cost-saving and effective management.

“Whether it is a matter of promotion or estacode, the agency has been following the rules and is committed to promoting the workers’ welfare.

“We are not in charge of the number of people to promote, we are only responsible for conducting exams.

“The office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HOS) is always responsible for allocating available vacancies that the government can pay for.

“It is not that there is a vacancy and we are not promoting. It is what the government can pay for that they approve as vacancy every year. It is not different from any other agency.”

“On the issue of estacode, as raised by the striking workers, the NAFDAC boss said there is nothing wrong with the agency’s estacode policy.

Read Also: NAFDAC decries prevalence of fake, substandard drugs in Nigeria

“That is just playing to the gallery. Our staff have always been paid their due estacode and so, that is not an issue.

“We are not different from any other agency, the estacode will be paid when the evidence of the trip is presented. We have never owed any staff any travel allowance,” the DG affirmed. 

Akintola noted, however, that there are positive signs on the horizon, suggesting the matter will soon be resolved, saying, “The agency, like any other in the country, is not permitted to exceed approval given by the federal government but I can assure you that the matter is being looked into at the highest level of government for a possible resolution without further delay. 

“The government, the agency, and the unions are not oblivious of the importance of the role being played by NAFDAC in safeguarding the health of the nation.

“A common ground would be found in due course, and everyone will go back to their duty posts”.

The National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) has frowned at high level of fake, substandard and falsified drugs across the nation.

The agency said survey has shown that the level of prevalence of substandard and falsified products is high across the nation, saying their concern is how to bring prevalence of substandard and falsified products to the bearest minimum.

Speaking in Ibadan on behalf of the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Zonal Director, Mrs Roselyn Ajayi while sensitising healthcare providers and stakeholders warned that users of fake and substandard products particularly drugs can die due to effect of the drugs on their body.

According to her, one of the strategies the agency intend to use to curb the menance was to embark on agressive sensitisation and engagement of different stakeholders particularly those in the distribution of healthcare products like medicine.

She said: “We have showed them what we have discovered on the field, we want them to know the concern of NAFDAC, we want to also know their concern, so as to know the way forward.

“This sensitisation is not ending here, we are still going to pay advocacy visit to churches, mosque, traditional rulers, opinion leaders on how to avoid patronising people selling substandard, unwholesome and fake products.

“This is just the first phase and we have brought in pharmacists that are involved in distribution of medicine to enlighten then on what to look out for, concern of NAFDAC and what is their own concern also and how we can put these incidence to the bearest minimum.”

Read Also: Flood: NAFDAC removes N5b contaminated drugs, foods, from Maiduguri markets

She however said that the core mandate of the agency is to regulate and control activities surrounding regulated products, which include, importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution, storage and advertisement of regulated products.

In his remark, the chairman, Association of Community Pharmacist of Nigeria, Oyo State branch, Pharmacist Adebayo Gbadamosi urged Nigerians to always patronise registered pharmacist, not quacks to buy original drugs.

He said aside buying drugs from registered pharmacists, people should also check the manufacturing date, expiring date, batch number and proper address of a manufacturer of such drugs.

He said: “Some of these drugs also has scratch, you can scratch to know the authenticity of the drugs, if our people are informed and they stop buying fake drugs, it will discouraged the quacks.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has removed all compromised food and drugs valued at over N5 billion from the shelves in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following the recent floods that ravaged the city.

The comprehensive mop-up operation was carried out across several key markets in Maiduguri at the Gamboru Drug and Food Market, Monday Market, Open Air-Theatre Drug Market, and Gwange Drug Market.

The operation which was directed by the agency’s Director General (DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, was conducted by officials drawn from Borno, Yobe, Gombe, and the NAFDAC area laboratory that meticulously inspected and removed the compromised items.

The initiative, according to the DG, was aimed at removing drugs and food items contaminated by recent floodwaters to prevent their re-introduction into sales as part of our market control strategy, thereby preventing possible outbreaks of diseases.

The agency also provided guidelines to market vendors and the public on how to identify and handle potentially contaminated products in the future.

Furthermore, all manufacturing facilities engaged in the production of regulated products located within the flood-affected areas have been closed down to allow for GMP reassessment before production begins again.

According to a statement by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola on Tuesday, Kenneth Azikiwe Director of NAFDAC North-East, the recent floods posed a significant risk to public health by contaminating food and drug supplies.

Read Also: NAFDAC and miracle vendors

“Our swift action in these markets is crucial to ensure that only safe and uncontaminated products are available to the public,” he was quoted as saying.

However, the agency assured the public that it would continue with the surveillance and monitoring to cover all parts of the Maiduguri metropolis not covered in this operation.

While urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or compromised products to its nearest office, NAFDAC assured that it remains committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians by ensuring that all food and drug products meet the highest standards of safety and quality.

“Through rigorous inspections, testing, and public education, NAFDAC works to protect the health and well-being of all Nigerians,” the agency added.

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that there are substandard and falsified antimalarials, antibiotics, antihypertensives, anti-diabetic agents and life style drugs in circulation.

The agency stated this during a community sensitization workshop for stakeholders on standard and falsified medicines in Nigeria, held in Kaduna yesterday.

Speaking during the workshop, Director North West Zone of the Agency, Bala Mshelia, said the workshop was meant to sensitise stakeholders on substandard and falsified medicines which have become a global problem presenting enormous public health challenges to National Medicines Regulatory Authorities.

He said NAFDAC was maximising efforts to curb the menace in the state, noting that unpatriotic business men/women involved in the illegal manufacture, importation and distribution of substandard and falsified medicines target medicines with high volume of use for the treatment of diseases of public health interest.

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He urged them to join in the fight to ensure that all drugs are safe for usage. “As we proceed with this workshop, let us remember that the fight against substandard and falsified medicines is not one that can be won in isolation.

“It requires collaboration between government agencies, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and the public. Together, we can create a future where every medicine on the shelf is safe, genuine, and beneficial to the health of our communities,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Kaduna, Mr Sunday Ukoh, appreciated NAFDAC for the timely sensitization, adding that all stakeholders’ hands must be on deck to do the needful.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists, Abosede Garba, said the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines is not just a challenge for healthcare professionals but a grave public health concern that affects the lives of millions. 

She said the counterfeit products jeopardise the health of patients, undermining the credibility of our healthcare system, and threaten the progress we have made in fighting diseases.

“It is with great honour that I stand before you today, representing the Association of Community Pharmacists, as we gather for this vital sensitization workshop organised by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

“The theme of this workshop—addressing the menace of substandard and falsified medicines—could not be more timely or relevant, especially in today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. 

“As frontline healthcare providers, we pharmacists bear a crucial responsibility in combating this challenge and ensuring that only safe, effective and high-quality medicines reach our communities. Community pharmacists, as trusted healthcare professionals, are uniquely positioned to be the first line of defence against counterfeit medicines.

“Our proximity to the community and our daily interactions with patients give us the opportunity to play a pivotal role in identifying, reporting and preventing the distribution of substandard products.”

She added that the workshop is a significant step towards empowering them with the knowledge and tools needed to further strengthen their role in the fight.

She commended NAFDAC for their unwavering commitment to protecting public health by tackling the issue of substandard and falsified medicines.

“Your efforts in regulating, educating and raising awareness are invaluable in safeguarding the well-being of our citizens. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this cause,” she said.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that there are substandard and falsified anti-malaria, Antibiotics, Antihypertensives, Anti-diabetic agents and Lifestyle drugs in circulation.

The agency stated this during a community sensitization workshop for stakeholders on standard and falsified medicines in Nigeria, held in Kaduna yesterday.

Speaking during the workshop, Director North West Zone of the Agency, Bala Mshelia said the workshop was to sensitize stakeholders on substandard and falsified medicines which have become a global problem that presents enormous public health challenges to National Medicines Regulatory Authorities.

He said NAFDAC is maximizing the efforts to curb the menace of such in the state, as he said that, unpatriotic businessmen/women involved in the illegal manufacture, importation and distribution of substandard and falsified medicines target medicines with high volume of use for the treatment of diseases of public health interest.

He urged them to join in the fight to ensure all drugs are safe for usage. “As we proceed with this workshop, let us remember that the fight against substandard and falsified medicines cannot be won in isolation.

“It requires collaboration between government agencies, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and the public. Together, we can create a future where every medicine on the shelf is safe, genuine, and beneficial to the health of our communities,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Kaduna, Mr Sunday UKoh appreciated NAFDAC for the timely sensitization adding that all stakeholders must be on the tools to do the needful.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists, Abosede Garba said the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines is not just a challenge for healthcare professionals but a grave public health concern that affects the lives of millions. 

She said the counterfeit products jeopardize the health of patients, undermine the credibility of our healthcare system, and threaten the progress we have made in fighting diseases.

“It is with great honour that I stand before you today, representing the Association of Community Pharmacists, as we gather for this vital sensitization workshop organized by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The theme of this workshop—addressing the menace of substandard and falsified medicines—could not be more timely or relevant, especially in today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

“As frontline healthcare providers, we pharmacists bear a crucial responsibility in combating this challenge and ensuring that only safe, effective, and high-quality medicines reach our communities. Community pharmacists, as trusted healthcare professionals, are uniquely positioned to be the first line of defence against counterfeit medicines.

“Our proximity to the community and our daily interactions with patients allow us to play a pivotal role in identifying, reporting, and preventing the distribution of substandard products.

She added that the workshop is a significant step toward empowering them with the knowledge and tools needed to further strengthen their role in the fight.

Read Also: NAFDAC destroys N43b substandard products, others in Oyo

She commended NAFDAC for their unwavering commitment to protecting public health by tackling the issue of substandard and falsified medicines.

“Your efforts in regulating, educating, and raising awareness are invaluable in safeguarding the well-being of our citizens. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in this cause.

She urged fellow pharmacists, to be vigilant, proactive, and steadfast in their commitment to promoting the safe use of medicines. “By adhering to best practices, fostering strong relationships with regulatory bodies, and educating our patients, we can make a significant impact in curbing the circulation of dangerous, counterfeit products.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday, September 19, destroyed substandard products, including counterfeit drugs, medical devices, and other unwholesome regulated items worth ₦43 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The destruction took place at the Moniya dump site in Lapite, Akinyele Local Government Area, and was observed by security agencies, representatives from the Oyo State government, and other stakeholders.

According to NAFDAC’s Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by Pharm. Shabba Mohammed, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, the counterfeit products were voluntarily surrendered to the Agency by compliant companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and trade unions.

Giving the breakdown of the seized counterfeited products, the Director General disclosed that several raids were carried out at various locations which led to the seizure of several unregistered and registered pharmaceutical products.

The confiscated products, according to her include aphrodisiacs, sex enhancement drugs, Over The Counter, (OTC), and Prescription Only Medicine, (POM) drugs.

She stated further, “Over thirty wares were seized in total. Products peddled by these drug hawkers including banned Codeine substances, narcotic drugs, Antimalarial, Aphrodisiacs, Analgesics, and Antibiotics worth over forty-eight million naira were confiscated.

“The Agency gathered intelligence on illegal warehousing, sale and distribution of schedule 1 Narcotics by some Pharmaceutical vendors in Lagos and other local actions in the Country.

“The Investigation and Enforcement Directorate raided some Pharmaceutical warehouses and premises across the Country to confiscate products worth over seven hundred million naira.

Read Also: NAFDAC warns against  use of Dove beauty cream bar soap

“Some other products for destruction are some products that were mopped up from circulation during Investigation and Enforcement Directorate raids

“These include illicit and unregistered pharmaceutical products such as Codeine syrup, expired tramadol, aphrodisiacs, anti-malaria, and many other drugs.

“Other products are contraband soaps, tomato paste, unregistered and counterfeit drinks, food products, perfumes and body spray

“We want to use this opportunity to encourage the public to join NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed food and other NAFDAC Regulated products by reporting unscrupulous manufacturers and businessmen who engage in illicit practices to the nearest NAFDAC office for prompt investigation.”