By Fasilat Lawal
In its efforts to rid the country of fake drugs, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has destroyed fake and expired drugs worth billions of Naira in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The exercise was carried out at the Oyo State Government approved dumpsite in Akinyele Local Government Area.
Represented by Director, Narcotics and Controlled Substances, Mrs Yedunni Adenuga, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye said the drugs destroyed included expired, unregistered and counterfeit drugs.
The NAFDAC DG said the drugs were seized from Idumota open drug outlets in Lagos State, during a three week exercise with support from security agencies
She stressed that the exercise was carried out to prevent the reintroduction of expired and fake drugs into circulation.
Professor Adeyeye who listed the drugs set ablaze by the agency, to include Analgin, tramadol, affirmed that such drugs in circulation contributed to the issue of insecurity in the country.
The NAFDAC Director General reiterated the agency ‘s commitment at protecting maternal and childcare, citing examples of recent operations where large amounts of poorly stored vaccines and products were discovered and appealed to stakeholders, including the media, to join in the fight against fake drugs in circulation.
The Director, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Mr Shaba Mohammed said the destruction of products at Idumota, Onitsha, Ariaria, Ezeuku and other open drug markets in the country would be a continuous process.
