The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday destroyed approximately N985 million worth of fake, counterfeit, substandard, expired, and unwholesome regulated products.

The director-general of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known during the burning exercise in Kano.

Ms Adeyeye, represented by the director of the agency’s North-Western zone, Josephine Dayilim, said the exercise aims to eradicate fake drugs and other spurious NAFDAC-regulated products from circulation in Nigeria.

“Removal of 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 stated.

The director general said the destroyed goods were substandard, fake/falsely labelled medicines, unwholesome food products, and other counterfeit goods seized and voluntarily received by NGOs, trade unions, the Nigeria Customs Service, NAPPMED, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.

Ms Adeyeye said the items destroyed included medicine made up of psychoactive and controlled substances such as antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarials, Analgesics and herbal remedies.

Other items destroyed are food items such as vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, condiments, tomato pastes, creams, pomade, and ointments.

Chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, agrochemical diagnostic kits, infusions, and giving sets, among others, were also destroyed.

Ms Adeyeye advised relevant stakeholders to adhere to all regulatory measures that have been implemented.

“We solicit the cooperation of the general public, corporate bodies, religious leaders and traditional rulers in our effort to eradicate the menace of drug and substance abuse.

”Health practitioners, community leaders, the press and all
stakeholders are hereby encouraged not to relent in educating their wards and family members on the dangers of patronising quacks and hawkers of medicines on the street,” Ms Adeyeye said.

The director general reiterated the agency’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians’ health and sought their cooperation in achieving the mandate.

NAFDAC coordinator in Kano State, Kasim Idrisa-Ibrahim, said the agency, in its effort to sanitise drug distribution, moved medicine sellers from the chaotic open market to a Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) at Dangwauro Kano.

“The coordinated wholesale centre has paved the way for NAFDAC to start recording successes in safeguarding the health of Nigerians,” Mr Idris-Ibrahim said.

(NAN)