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Tag: NAFDAC

  • NAFDAC destroys N30 billion counterfeit products

    NAFDAC destroys N30 billion counterfeit products

    THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake drugs, unwholesome foods and other substandard regulated products valued at N30 billion in the last six and half years.

    The agency’s director-general, Dr. Paul Orhii, said this to reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, when he visited the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, in his palace.

    He added that the proliferation of counterfeit products in the country was as a result of the inability to manufacture them locally.

    Other dignitaries on his delegation include Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian American Agricultural Empowerment Programme Chief Temitope Ajayi; President, Project Fix Nigeria Chief Olusegun Kowontan; Director, Administration and Human Resources Management, NAFDAC Mrs. Yetunde Oni; and its Kwara State Director, Mrs. Bolaji Abayomi.

    Dr. Orhii said: “More than 70 per cent of essential medicines for management of public health programmes were imported from other countries. So, what we have done is to encourage Nigerian local pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce medicines so that Nigeria can be self-sufficient in the supply of these medicines and we have succeeded.

    “When we started, people thought I was just dreaming, but now, the World Health Organisation (WHO) came to approve four pharmaceutical companies last year alone, that their medicines now meet international standards and we can now export them.”

    He added that the July deadline for all manufacturers of anti-malaria and antibiotics products for ‘scratch and pick’ authentication service on their products remains sacrosanct.

     “All manufacturers of antibiotic and anti malaria drugs by July this year should have their products with the ‘scratch and pick’ mobile authentication service on them so that consumers can scratch and authenticate the medicine before buying them.

    “The advantage of the scratch card is that it makes it difficult for people to fake medicine that has scratch card on it. So, if we use the scratch card method, we have the opportunity to finally completely eradicate counterfeit in our system.

    “The Emir of Ilorin tasked us to look for equipment that can show if a medicine has expired or not.

    “I want to say the True Scan can help identify if medicine is fake or it has expired. This is because once the chemical composition is not the same with what we approved originally, it will fail the scanning,” the agency’s boss said.

    He warned people against consumption of illicit items to avoid a repeat of mysterious death in Ondo State.

    He said: “NAFDAC has been conducting mass public awareness campaigns to tell people not to patronise illicit gin. It was the consumption of illicit gin that caused the death of 18 people in Ondo State; because the gin they consumed contained methanol. Methanol is not the common ethanol that people consumed. So, we are warning members of the public not to patronise these products. They are not approved by NAFDAC.”

    Alhaji Sulu-Gambari urged NAFDAC to prevent importation of expired drugs into the country.

    He said: “I hope it will also be extended to cover expired drugs because most of the drugs advertised in Nigeria get expired from Europe before being shipped to Nigeria for sale. That is why you have fake drugs. Expired drug is even more dangerous than fake drug.”

  • NAFDAC raids Aba market, seals shops over fake product

    NAFDAC raids Aba market, seals shops over fake product

    Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday raided the Eziukwu market in Aba, Abia State, claiming a continuous effort to rid the nation of fake and unwholesome regulated products.

    The raid conducted by the officials of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the Agency from Lagos, lasted several hours, with three traders, a male and two females who were alleged to be involved in the sale of fake “Instant cold water starch” product were arrested.

    In addition to the arrests, the NAFDAC officials sealed shops, while hundreds of cartons of the fake product worth several millions of naira were also seized.

    Speaking after the operation, Uche Chidi, the Chief Regulatory officer and leader of the team, said his office got information regarding the fake of the product, which was being manufactured by Cormart Industries Ltd, Ilupeju, Lagos.

    Chidi said based on the strength of the information, they moved into Aba and raided Eziukwu market. He revealed that during the raid, they found the stocks of the fake version of the product which prompted the arrest of the people that were involved for interrogation.

    According to him, “We seized about 100 cartoons of the fake product and we are going to send them for laboratory analysis to confirm the status and we will move on from there.

    “Once the product is confirmed to be fake, those arrested are going to be prosecuted with the approval of the management”.

    He added that the Agency had spread its drag net to ensure that the fake product in other markets would be confiscated.

    Mrs. Ifeadikachi Mbamaonyeukwu, one of the traders arrested for selling the fake product said she never knew that the product which she said her husband used to buy at a slightly cheaper rate was fake.

    Mrs. Mbamaonyeukwu who said she could not differentiate between the original and fake products said it was a young man who she could not tell the name that sold the fake products to her.

    She argued that she was unable to know the true state of the fake product because none of her customers who bought it had ever returned to complain it was not good.

  • NAFDAC mobilizes 42 schools to fight against fake drugs in Anambra

    The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has mobilized 42 secondary schools in Anambra State to fight against fake and counterfeit drugs and food products.

    The agency said the programme of catching them young was yielding the needed positive result, as hundreds of schools had key-in into the programme nationwide.

    The Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, said this yesterday in Onitsha.during an award ceremony of NAFDAC annual Secondary Schools Competition for members of NCSC in the state.

    The meaning of NCSC, according to NAFDAC’s Director General was Consumer Safety Club.

    He noted that the agency was moulding future generations that would not only be empowered to be upright, but demand uprightness from others.

    According to him, “It is, however, important to emphasize that the membership of NCSC is just for the purpose of participating in annual competitions. It is an opportunity for you to make a positive difference in all aspects of life.

    “As NCSC members, you have the responsibility to assist in information flow on NAFDAC’s regulatory activities, and promote the fight against fake and counterfeit regulated products.”

    The Co-ordinator of NAFDAC in Anambra, Dr Christiana Esenwah, noted that the agency was targeting to establish the NCSC club in additional 10 secondary schools in Anambra State before the end of 2015.

    “These students are our foot soldiers within their schools, localities, neighborhoods and immediate families; and we want NAFDAC, its activities and regulations to be home-grown name and thing.

    “We encourage these students to be part of what we are doing and help in our pharmaco-vigilance surveillance, especially in Anambra, by reporting to any NAFDAC office or official anything that they find going wrong in their neighborhoods,” Esenwah said

  • ‘NAFDAC confiscated N5billion fake drugs in two months’

    ‘NAFDAC confiscated N5billion fake drugs in two months’

    Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, has disclosed that the agency had confiscated fake medical products worth more than N5 billion in the last two months.

    Orhii made the disclosure in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the weekend during the 37th International Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) where he was honoured with an excellence award for scientifically tackling the scourge of fake drugs and also placing Nigeria on the global map as a country producing very reliable drugs fit for both export and local use.

    The NAFDAC boss said that the confiscated drugs, including 244 containers of Viagra products, which could cause instant heart attack, were waiting to be destroyed in the agency’s laboratory in Oshodi, Lagos.

    Orhii, who sounded a note of warning to people dealing in the illegal business, pledged that the agency would not relent in its fight against “these enemies of the society.”

    The introduction of cutting-edge technology, Orhii disclosed, has helped in combating sharp practices in the health care industry, while adding that this has also drastically reduced the influx of counterfeit and fake drugs into the country.

    He revealed that NAFDAC has, in recent years, taken its campaigns against counterfeit drugs to the international arena and also deployed technologies locally in fighting the battle.

    Orhii said: “We are the first regulatory agency in the world to employ the use of TRUSCAN (a hand-held device) which, within one minute, detects the genuineness or otherwise of a medicine. This has significantly boosted our capacity for post marketing surveillance.”

    He added that the introduction of Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) has also provided a unique and secure authentication platform for medicines.

    According to him, MAS has put the detection of counterfeit medicines in the hands of over 100 million mobile phone users in the country.

  • D’BANJ supports NAFDAC against fake drugs

    D’BANJ supports NAFDAC against fake drugs

    Notable music artiste, Dapo Oyebanjo, aka D’Banj, has expressed his disdain for fake drugs and their peddlers, when last Wednesday he visited the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to show support for the Agency’s renowned Public Enlightenment Campaign against counterfeit drugs and other substandard regulated products in the country.

    The artiste, who was conducted round NAFDAC’s laboratories at Oshodi and Yaba, noted that he has been enlightened more about the danger of fake drugs, and commended the agency for its relentless fight to save the lives of millions of Nigerians.

    He said: “I am very impressed and inspired with what I have seen at NAFDAC laboratories and other offices. Before now I find it difficult to distinguish a genuine drug from the counterfeit. We hear a lot of news about fake drugs. From what i have seen today, I am well informed. On behalf of the Nigerian youths, I just have to commend NAFDAC for their good works.”

    An elated Director  General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, described D’banj’s visit as a morale booster and source of encouragement for the NAFDAC regulatory workers saddled with the sacred mandate of safeguarding public health.

    Dr. Orhii thanked the celebrated musician for his show of solidarity and readiness to strengthen NAFDAC’s public enlightenment campaign through his musical platform.

  • NAFDAC arraigns man for ‘producing’ fake Alomo Bitters

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Tuesday arraigned man, Akintunde Smith, at the Federal High in Lagos for allegedly manufacturing counterfeit drink, Kasapreko Alomo Bitters.

    He was charged with three counts bordering on manufacturing of processed food without registration.

    Prosecution counsel Mr Umar Shamaki said Smith committed the alleged offence on or about January 15 at 8, Omotara Street, Aguda, Lagos.

    NAFDAC said the defendant allegedly labelled the product as Kasapreko Alomo Bitters in a manner that was false.

    The agency arrested Smith following a complaint by the product’s manufacturers that a counterfeit version was being produced and sold.

    The producers said the firm has introduced a ‎hologram seal with security features on the cap to enable consumers to identify the original Kasapreko Alomo Bitters.

    “We have introduced what is called a hologram seal, which is like a transparent white nylon at the cap. It is a security feature which enables our customers to identify the original product. Once you don’t see the seal, you stay off,” the producers said.

    The three-count charge contravene Section 1 of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration) Act, Cap F33, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 6 (1) of the same Act.

    The offence is also contrary to The offence to section 1 (a) of the Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap C34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act.

    Smith pleaded not guilty to the charge. Justice Okon Abang adjourned till May 6 and 7 for trial and said the defendant, who had no legal representation, could apply for bail.

  • NAFDAC nabs counterfeit drug merchants, others

    NAFDAC nabs counterfeit drug merchants, others

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested five persons in connection with forgery, and manufacturing of substandard and counterfeit drugs as the agency intensifies its fight against substandard and counterfeit drugs and food products.

    The various people arrested are Mr. Victor Okeke for forgery of NAFDAC’s documents, Mr. Tochukwu Michael Ozala, Mr. Ifeanyi  Okoro, Mr. Peter Nwannwbuife and Mr. Nnaka Christian for counterfeiting Codrux Codeine Cough syrup and Coflin cough syrup in Onitsha, Anambra State.

    Speaking at a press briefing last week at the NAFDAC office, Oshodi, Lagos, to intimate the press of the agency’s recent activities, the Director General, Dr. Paul Orhii, disclosed that the agency also recently intercepted fake packaging materials for drug with fake Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) code and NAFDAC registration number at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    “The labelled packaging materials has fake MAS code, date markings, batch numbers and NRN already inscribed on it,” noted the Director General, adding that preliminary investigations revealed that the packaging materials originated from India and may have been imported with intent to fake the original brand.

    Meanwhile, the market authorisation holder of the original brand, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has denied knowledge of such import. The consignment is estimated to have over 5,000 pieces of secondary packaging and over 1,000 pieces of the MAS code labels.

    The federal government regulatory body also discovered three ware houses where counterfeit medicines are stored by a major counterfeiter of medicines. His identity and address cannot be revealed now in order not to impede investigations.

    Explaining, Dr. Paul Orhii said that at the time NAFDAC staff stormed the three warehouses, about 15 types of popular drugs and medicine packaging materials were found. Such drugs include Tarivid 200mg tablet, Augmentin 625mg tablet, Proviron tablets, Novasc tablets, Glucophage 500mg tablets, Cotecxin tablets, Regroton tablets, Clomid tablets, Loratyn-10 tablets, Cytotec-200mg tablets and Halfan tablets.

    Other drugs also discovered in the warehouses include Lexotan tablets, Tegretol tablets, Cataflam tablets, Ciprotab tablets and unlabelled injection. The packaging materials include Ampiclox, Taravid, Augmentine, Vega, Aldomet, and GSK Hologram for Loparex.

    The DG regretted that date and batch coding machines used in the validation of expired medicines were among the things discovered in the warehouses.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Victor Chinonyelum Okeke was apprehended for forgery of NAFDAC import control stamp used for the clearing of consignments imported into the country.

    Dr. Orhii stated that in this case, Victor Okeke, forged stamps for Option Freight international Ltd, a clearing company to facilitate the clearance of 1X20ft and 1X40ft containers of herbal drugs and herbal tea imported by Tianshi Health Products Company Ltd.

  • N500m fake drugs destroyed in Anambra

    N500m fake drugs destroyed in Anambra

    Members of the Bridge Head Drug Dealers’ Association in Onitsha, Amanbra State have proved that they are not as bad as sometimes portrayed. They surprised Nigerians by joining the crusade to rid the society of fake and sub-standard drugs. This, they did by willingly surrendering some expired drugs in the market to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) for destruction.

    The traders were led by their chairman, Uche Eze, who told members of the public that they were no longer comfortable with the bad name which drug dealers in the state are associated with.

    Eze also said the number of deaths being recorded in the society as a result of expired, fake, counterfeit and adulterated drugs were alarming.

    NAFDAC, on that day, burnt products worth N484.2m at the dump site at Agu-Awka in Anambra State.

    Some of the products were expired drugs that were voluntarily submitted to NAFDAC by members of the Head Bridge Drug Dealers’ Association in Onitsha, while others were seized fake, counterfeit and adulterated drugs from importers and manufacturers.

    All the security outfits and their Para-military counterparts were represented during the exercise.

    They praised the Onitsha traders for their sincerity and NAFDAC for its commitment to the fight against fake, counterfeit and adulterated drugs in the society.

    Director-General of the Agency, Dr Paul Orhii, who supervised the destruction  at the dump site in Awka, warned those involved in fake and expired drugs to be careful as the long arm of the law awaits them.

    However, he praised Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano and all the security agencies and Para-military organisations in the country for giving NAFDAC adequate support and security in the fight against the monster.

    Few of the products destroyed by NAFDAC included fake and counterfeit anti- malarial, anti-hypertension, anti-biotic, anti-diabetics, analgesics, injectables of various kinds and multi-vitamin, among others.

    He said what NAFDAC was doing was to stop the re-introduction of fake, counterfeit drugs and expired foods in the country, adding that a similar thing was done in Enugu and Kano states about three month ago.

    He also said that NAFDAC had an outstanding six 40 feet containers of imported fake drugs and other products brought into the country by importers which are waiting to be destroyed.

    “We want to clean up the drug system in Nigeria. We have a huge burden in this country; the success recorded by NAFDAC was by everybody, including the security operatives and other sister organisations.

    “If not for the vigilance and timely interventions of NAFDAC, these products would have found their way into circulation and their use would have resulted in therapeutic failure, drug resistance, adverse drug reactions, kidney failure, liver failure and death.

    “I wish to re-iterate our stance on zero-tolerance on fake and counterfeit drugs and other NAFDAC-regulated products and also state that the agency will leave no stone unturned in eradicating these products from our society.

    “The fight against counterfeit drugs is a continuous one and we do not need to drop our guards. It is in this spirit that I am soliciting for the unrelenting support of the government of Anambra State, all stakeholders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Customs Service, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other agencies and the media to sustain the tempo of the fight.

    “I also wish to advise genuine manufacturers, importers of NAFDAC-regulated products to continue doing the right thing. However, for unscrupulous Nigerians that are involved in counterfeiting and faking of NAFDAC-regulated products, I assure them the hand of the law will catch up with them soon.

    “Individuals with credible information of where violations involving NAFDAC- regulated products are being carried out should not hesitate to report to the NAFDAC state office or any NAFDAC formation around,” Orhii said.

  • NAFDAC sanctions 1,000 in Oyo

    NAFDAC sanctions 1,000 in Oyo

    The outgoing Oyo State Coordinator of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Rev. Benjamin Haruna, has said in the last six years, the agency sanctioned over 1000 individuals for unregistered products, sales of fake products, parallel importation and unsatisfactory factory productions.

    Haruna, the agency’s director, Chemical, Cosmetics and Medical Devices, Ports Authority, Lagos, said this at his send off in Ibadan.

    “During the six years that I was the state coordinator, we penalised not less than 1,000 people for offences stipulated by the agency.

    “The challenges encountered when we came in some years back was that there wasn’t much awareness about the activities of the agency, so we have to reach out to the people at the grassroots.

    “We also have logistics problem, we did not have enough vehicles before. We were also short of staff when I came in because we had six workers then but now we have 22. Another challenge is the small office space we have now for our staff and equipment.

    “We established the agency’s desk officers in each local government, we ensure massive awareness, collaboration with necessary organisations and sanctioned people found culpable.”

  • NAFDAC destroys goods worth N500m in Anambra

    •Warns manufacturers, importers

    The Anambra State command of the National Agency for Food, drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has destroyed products said to be worth four hundred and eighty-four million, two hundred thousand naira (N484.2m).

    Some of the products, including expired drugs, were voluntarily handed over to NAFDAC by the Head bridge drug dealers Association in Onitsha. Other products destroyed included counterfeit and adulterated drugs seized from importers and manufacturers.

    Director General of the agency, Dr Paul Orhii, who supervised the destruction at the dump site in Awka, warned those involved in fake and expired drugs to be careful, saying that the long arm of law awaits them.

    He commended Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, security agencies and paramilitary organizations for their show of support in the fight against fake drugs.

    The products destroyed included fake and counterfeit anti-malaria; anti-hypertensive; antibiotics; anti-diabetics; analgesics and multivitamins among others.

    Orhii said NAFDAC was making efforts to stop the re-introduction of fake, counterfeit drug and expired foods into the country, adding that a similar thing was done in Enugu and Kano states about three months ago.

    “We want to clean up the drug system in Nigeria. We have a huge burden in this country, the success recorded by NAFDAC was the collective success of everybody, including the security operatives and other sister organizations.

    “I wish to re-iterate our stance on zero tolerance on fake and counterfeit drugs. The fight against counterfeit drugs is a continuous one, and we do not need to drop our guards,” Orhii said.