The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Southwest Zone destroyed counterfeit, substandard, and unwholesome pharmaceutical products worth N20 billion on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State. According to the agency, the routine destruction operation is consistent with its duty to prevent expired, falsified, and hazardous medical products, as well as other NAFDAC-regulated items, from being reintroduced into the market.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC, spoke at the exercise and emphasized the agency's commitment to protecting public health by removing illicit drugs, fraudulent medical products, unwholesome foods, and hazardous chemicals from Nigerian markets.
Adeyeye, who was represented by Mrs. Florence Uba, Deputy Director of the Pharmaceutical Division (Investigation and Enforcement), Papa Lagos, emphasized that the agency will continue to increase its efforts to rid the country of all dangerous and volatile items.
She said, “The products being destroyed during this exercise are made up of Substandard and Falsified Medical Products, Unwholesome Processed Food products and food additives, Unsafe Cosmetics, Counterfeits, and other Expired NAFDAC Regulated Products seized by the Agency from manufacturers, importers, and distributors.
“Up for destruction today are damaged and Expired products voluntarily handed over by compliant companies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and Trade Unions, to the Agency.“The estimated street value of the products planned for destruction is N20,000,000,000 (twenty billion naira only.”
She did, however, applaud the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its ongoing assistance in the fight against counterfeiting.
“Custom handed over 25 containers to be destroyed, which include various pharmaceutical products and a reefer container for this destruction.“My appreciation also goes to the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security Civil
Defence Corps (NSCDC), and all stakeholders who have unified in the battle against substandard and counterfeit medicines and other unwholesome regulated items.
