The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake, expired, and substandard medical products worth N4.7 billion in Rivers State.
The destruction exercise, which took place at the Rivers State Waste Management Authority (RIWAMA) Dumpsite in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area, is part of efforts to rid the South-South region of harmful and falsified medical products.
The process of collating contraband drugs and other unwholesome health materials across six South-South states began on Thursday, with the items transported to the dumpsite for disposal.
Speaking at the event, the South-South Director of NAFDAC, Chukwuemeka Oligbu, who represented the Director-General, highlighted the agency’s commitment to ensuring public safety.
“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. Also, up for destruction today are damaged and expired products voluntarily handed over by compliant companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN), and trade unions, to the agency,” he noted.
Oligbu urged the public to report suspicious pharmaceutical activities and unsafe products to the agency, emphasizing the need for collaboration between NAFDAC and stakeholders, including pharmacists, law enforcement agencies, and industry players.
The destruction exercise was carried out in collaboration with partner agencies and security operatives.
As the flames consumed the counterfeit and expired drugs, NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians from the dangers of substandard and falsified medical products.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye has proposed the death penalty for drug peddlers.
She made this call on Friday while speaking during Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
She argued that only strict penalties would deter drug peddlers, especially when their actions result in the deaths of children.
“Somebody bought children’s medicine for about N13,000, while another person was selling it for around N3,000 in the same mall.
“That raised an alarm. Guess what? When we tested the medicine in our Kaduna lab, there was nothing inside. So, I want the death penalty.
“You don’t need to put a gun to a child’s head to kill them. Just give them bad medicine,” Adeyeye said.
The NAFDAC boss also called for the cooperation of the judiciary and the National Assembly to make the proposal a reality.
According to her, the agency is open to working with lawmakers and other stakeholders on the matter.
She said, “You cannot fight substandard and falsified medicines in isolation. The agency can only do so much, but if there is no deterrent, there will be a problem.
“Someone brought in 225mg of Tramadol, which can kill a person or fry their brain, and the punishment is just five years in prison or a fine of N250,000. Who doesn’t know that a person can simply withdraw N250,000 from an ATM?
“That is part of our problem — there are no strict measures to stop offenders from repeating the same crime. We can only do so much, but if our laws are not strong enough or the judiciary is not firm in its stance, we will continue to face this challenge.
“So, our judicial system must be strong enough. We are working with the National Assembly to make our penalties much stiffer. But if you kill a child with bad medicine, you deserve to die.”
