Tag: NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned against obstruction of its personnel while carrying out enforcement operation against substandard drugs and falsified goods.

Mr Shaba Mohammed, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mohammed also the Chairman, Federal Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Product, said some of the drug hawkers and touts who attacked the enforcement team of the agency in February have been arraigned in court.

He said some of these involved in the attack were facing trial before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of Federal High Court, Abuja, adding that the arraignment would serve as deterrent to those with similar intention.

“Those arraigned recently in the court are part of those who attacked NAFDAC officials while on enforcement duty some months ago.

“Arraigning them in court is to pay for their sins, this is also to advice the public to desist from attacking NAFDAC staff while on duty’’, he said.

“I will not say there are no counterfeit products in circulation. But such product are brought into the country by unscrupulous elements who do not mean well for the country’’, he said.

He said such criminals who bring in counterfeit drugs used hawkers to push them into circulation, adding that NAFDAC will not stop arresting hawkers until the whole system is sanitised.

Read Also: NAFDAC seizes N12m drugs in Sokoto

The director said arresting the hawkers would help NAFDAC in tracking the sources of counterfeit products whether imported or produced locally.

“The public should support NAFDAC to sanitise the system. Anyone caught in such act will be prosecuted thoroughly because that is obstruction of Federal Government team in performing its jobs.

“Sales of drug in market places, hawking or in moving vehicle is actually prohibited by NAFDAC law.

“This is regarded as a criminal act and that is why we are prosecuting those that have committed crime against NAFDAC act’’, he said.

He said as the director of investigation and enforcement in NAFDAC, he would work closely with the Federal Task Force, which comprises of other related agencies to rid the country of counterfeit drugs and goods.

Mohammed listed some of the organisations in the about to be inaugurated team as Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, and Customs Service, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC).

He said that one of the strategies the taskforce would be using to curb fake drug out of the country is the manning of point of entry into the country to intercept all counterfeit products.

“We will also be using Post Marketing Surveillance, whose officials would function like undercover agents,” he said. (NAN)

No fewer than 100 shops have been shut down in Ogbete Main Market, Enugu by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for allegedly dealing in suspected fake alcoholic beverages.

The agency also confiscated a truckload of adulterated products and effected the arrest of four suspected traders in the process of a well-coordinated raid.

Speaking after the raid and arrest, NAFDAC’s director of the southeast zone, Pharm Martins Iluyomade, said on Monday, July 1, that the suspects were already in custody and would be charged in court after an ongoing investigation.

Read Also: NAFDAC seals two sachet water factories in Imo

He noted that the raid was in furtherance to NAFDAC’s mandate to safeguard the health of the nation and ride the Southeast of unwholesome, substandard, fake, and adulterated products.

“We stormed the popular Ogbete Main Market, Enugu in Enugu State since Friday and have shut down 100 shops which have been identified for selling fake alcoholic beverages.

“Arrests were made and the suspects are currently in custody.

“This fake wine and alcoholic beverages are being sold to unsuspected customers and the general public but we are determined to rid the market of these unwholesome products,” he said.

The NAFDAC Zonal boss said the intensive operation was in active collaboration with the Police, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army which deployed their personnel for the well-coordinated raid.

The Director General (DG) of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has praised President Bola Tinubu for signing the Executive Order (EO)  aimed at transforming Nigeria’s healthcare sector

According to the DG, the EO would lead to increased local production of healthcare products, reduce costs of healthcare equipment and consumables, and promote local investments, marking a significant step forward for the country’s healthcare system.

She said her sense of fulfillment stems from the realisation of the relevance to the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), as the EO is vital for the success initiative as it addresses key issues.

In a statement on Saturday, Adeyeye noted that despite previous government efforts to revitalize the country’s pharmaceutical landscape, local drug and pharmaceutical consumables manufacturers remained hindered by the unbridled importation of various pharmaceutical products. 

She lamented that the situation not only put the country at an economic disadvantage and undermined citizens’ health security but also prevented local manufacturers from being globally competitive.

She said: “However, the perennial and persistent costly challenge of importation of ALL materials needed for manufacturing (except water) by local manufacturers became an open sore. 

“As Director General, my professional heart ached for local manufacturers considering the import duties they have to pay for ALL materials, some packaging materials and equipment.  

“I have advocated for zero tariffs since my assumption of office with a limited moratorium to give local manufacturers industrial breathing space to do what they know how to do best – manufacturing quality medical products. 

The NAFDAC DG expressed optimism that with the new EO, the nation’s medicine and pharmaceutical consumables manufacturing is poised for a new era, as several critical issues are expected to be addressed.

She the EO will reposition manufacturing of drug and pharmaceutical consumables in the country “By lowering tariffs and providing special waivers, the EO aims to reduce the prohibitive costs of medicines and other pharmaceutical products, making healthcare more affordable for Nigerians.

“Encouraging local manufacturing will create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and reduce dependence on imports, ensuring a reliable supply of essential healthcare products.

“Regulatory harmonization and market shaping will drive innovation and quality improvement in the local healthcare industry.

“The Executive Order will also strengthen the nation’s health systems by addressing underinvestment and regulatory challenges by improving service delivery and health outcomes and enhancing resilience to future health crises.

“The President’s EO underscores his administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s health sector. 

“By addressing core challenges and providing a clear path for improvement, this EO sets the stage for a sustainable and high-quality healthcare system for all Nigerians” she added.

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down two sachet water factories in Owerri for operating in unhygienic environments.

The agency further cautioned another factory during the routine inspection carried out on Friday in the Imo capital city.

The two affected factories included Elmabo Table Water and Sylchap Enterprise Table Water, while Giver Table Water was cautioned over minor issues.

In an interview with newsmen at the end of the enforcement, the Imo NAFDAC Coordinator, Mrs Mercy Ndukwe, said the factories were sealed for poor manufacturing practices.

Ndukwe said: “We have invited them all to visit NAFDAC office with their licences for verification.

“Looking at the factories we visited, the agency is not happy seeing the environment they were operating on.

“NAFDAC’s minimum requirement is four to five rooms for small scale operators to operate a water production facility.

“At the time we registered them, these rooms were available but today, most of the rooms have been converted to other uses, like living rooms and other businesses.”

The NAFDAC chief expressed concern that cholera and other diseases could breakout from such unhygienic environments, if not given proper attention.

Read Also: NAFDAC destroys N985m substandard products

Ndukwe recalled that the agency, about three weeks ago, directed the water association in the state to close all operations for two days for proper cleaning and sanitisation of factories to avert cholera outbreak.

“In spite of the directive, we are very sad to see the environment where they operate in to be unhygienic,” she said.

She cautioned other producers “to sit up and conduct self sanitisation of their premises.”

“They should ensure that those they leave their businesses to run adhere strictly to the directives of NAFDAC.

“Our aim is not to close down factories or push them out of business but to ensure that Nigerians consume wholesale and hygienic food and water,”
Ndukwe further said.

 She expressed the willingness of the agency to organise free trainings for the operators of table water factories in the state on the best practices.

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the enforcement was carried out by NAFDAC, in collaboration with the Imo House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment as well as the state chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP).

The Vice Chairman of ATWAP, Mrs Joy Uwakwe, expressed the support of her association to the enforcement by the agency.

 “The association is in support of ensuring that water sold to consumers are clean and treated for consumption for Imo residents.

“The most unfortunate thing that happened today is that the sealed factories are not members of ATWAP,” Uwakwe said .

Also, the chairman, Imo House of Assembly Taskforce on Health and Environment, Chief Odyssey Obioha, expressed concern that the test conducted for quality at the facilities showed that the water was not safe for drinking.

Obioha said that a similar test was conducted on different sachets of water at the Imo State House of Assembly where it was discovered that most of them were unsafe for consumption.

“The discovery necessitated the inspection of water production facilities in the state, in collaboration with NAFDAC and ATWAP.

“The outbreak of cholera in the country has become an issue and the State Government is determined to ensure that Imo is free from cholera,” Obioha said.

(NAN)

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday, June 27, destroyed fake, counterfeit, substandard, expired, and unwholesome regulated products whose estimated street value worth N985,300,290.00.

The “wastes,” seized from the northwestern part of the country, were destroyed by fire at the outskirts of Kano metropolitan city.

The products destroyed included medicines such as antibiotics, antihypertensives, antimalarials, analgesics, herbal remedies, psychoactive and controlled substances etc.

Foods, such as vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, condiments, tomato pastes etc, were also set ablaze.

Also destroyed were cosmetics such as creams, pomade, ointments etc, and chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, agrochemicals etc, as well as medical devices that included diagnostic kits and infusion giving sets.

NAFDAC director general, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said removing Substandard and Falsified Medicines (SFs) from circulation will make Nigerians healthier.

“And since only a healthy body can contribute positively to the economy, it will make Nigerians wealthier and the economy better,” she said.

Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of Northwest Zone, Mrs. Josephine Dayilim, said the chaotic drug distribution system in Nigeria has been a sore point for drug regulatory Agencies, especially NAFDAC.

“The handling and disposal of NAFDAC wastes, like today’s exercise, is in line with our strategy aimed at eradicating fake drugs and other spurious NAFDAC Regulated Products from circulation in Nigeria,” she added.

NAFDAC northwest zonal director, Mrs. Josephine Dayilim, said: “The products destroyed represent a grave threat to our communities.”

“They are not mere substandard goods; they are potential instruments of harm that could devastate families and derail our nation’s progress.

“By destroying these items, we send a clear message: there is no place for counterfeit and unsafe products in Nigeria,” she said.

According to the zonal director, NAFDAC‘s efforts have extended beyond destruction, as the agency is working actively to strengthen its regulatory framework, enhancing surveillance and collaborating with local and international partners to stem the tide of dangerous goods at their source.

Calling on all Nigerians to join the fight, she said: “Be vigilant consumers. Report suspicious products. Support legitimate businesses. Your actions can save lives.

Read Also: NAFDAC mulls food safety culture amidst cholera outbreak

To those who persist in trafficking fake and unwholesome products, hear this:

We will find you. We will stop you. The full force of the law awaits you.”

Kano State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Kasim Ibrahim, said in its effort to sanitise drug distribution in Kano, the drug sellers have been moved from the chaotic open market to a Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC), located in Dangwauro, which has paved the way for NAFDAC to start recording successes in safeguarding the health of Nigerians.

Kabir Muhammad of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria said “SON stands in solidarity with NAFDAC, sharing a common mission: to uphold the highest standards of quality and safety in all products and services available to Nigerians.”

Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Dr. Murtala Umar, proposed stiffer punishments for offenders to deter others and mitigate the crime.