Health
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned patent medicine dealers in Ebonyi against the sale and distribution of fake, substandard and unregistered medicines.
The agency urged the dealers to strengthen their vigilance and adopt appropriate measures to prevent dangerous medicines from reaching consumers.
The State Coordinator of the Agency, Mr Emeka Orajaka, gave the warning in Abakaliki on Tuesday during an awareness and sensitisation meeting with members of the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPMED) in the state.
Orajaka said the engagement was aimed at educating the dealers on how to identify, prevent and report the circulation of falsified and substandard medicines.
He expressed concern over the presence of fake medicines in the market, warning that such products posed serious risks to public health.
He explained that falsified medicines were deliberately manufactured or packaged to resemble genuine products from legitimate pharmaceutical companies, making it difficult for unsuspecting consumers to distinguish between them.
The NAFDAC coordinator advised the dealers to patronise only authorised suppliers, conduct regular inspections of their stocks and promptly report suspicious products and individuals to the agency, the police or their association’s leadership.
He introduced the agency’s online verification platform registration.nafdac.gov.ng, and encouraged members to download the NAFDAC Greenbook application to verify the registration status and authenticity of medicines before purchasing or selling them.
Orajaka also urged the dealers to cooperate with NAFDAC enforcement officials, surrender suspected substandard products recovered during inspections.
“Educate your members and customers on the dangers of counterfeit medicines.
“Tackling the circulation of fake drugs required collective commitment from regulators, medicine dealers and the general public,” he said.
In his remarks, the Ebonyi President of NAPMED, Mr Jerry Ikporu, described the sensitisation exercise as timely and beneficial,
“This has equipped our members with knowledge of banned, fake, substandard and unregistered medicines.
“It exposed our members to digital platforms through which they can access relevant information and verify products with NAFDAC,” he added.
Ikporu assured the agency of the association’s commitment to implementing the knowledge acquired, urging members to exercise caution when handling medicines and carefully study drug leaflets to understand their ingredients, indications and recommended dosages.
He also encouraged residents to take advantage of government-supported healthcare programmes, including the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency, to improve access to healthcare services.
Similarly, the Chairman of NAPMED at the International Market, Mr Steven -Udeze Okpucha, reaffirmed the association’s opposition to the sale of fake and unregistered medicines.
Okpucha adopted the slogan, “No to any drug without NAFDAC number, no to fake or substandard drugs,” as part of the association’s campaign against counterfeit medicines.
He disclosed that the association had established a monitoring committee to check the activities of members and enforce compliance with regulations.
Okpucha explained that members caught selling fake or unregistered medicines risk six months’ closure of their shops, while seized products would be handed over to NAFDAC for destruction.
He reiterated the association’s commitment to supporting the agency’s efforts to sanitise the medicine distribution system and protect public health. (NAN)
M.P
Tags: NAFDAC