The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has raised concerns about the high prevalence of fake and substandard drugs across Nigeria.
A recent survey by the agency shows a widespread issue with falsified products, prompting action to reduce the problem to the lowest possible level.
Speaking on behalf of NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye in Ibadan, the agency’s Zonal Director, Mrs. Roselyn Ajayi, emphasized the dangers posed by fake drugs, warning that they can lead to serious health risks, including death.
Ajayi said NAFDAC plans to combat the issue by launching aggressive awareness campaigns, targeting healthcare providers, medicine distributors, and the general public. “We have shown them what we discovered in the field. We want them to understand NAFDAC’s concerns and work together on solutions,” she said.
The agency also plans to visit churches, mosques, traditional rulers, and community leaders to discourage people from buying fake and unwholesome products.
The core mandate of NAFDAC is to regulate and control the activities related to products such as medicines, including their importation, manufacture, distribution, and storage.
In addition, the Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria in Oyo State, Pharmacist Adebayo Gbadamosi, advised Nigerians to always buy drugs from registered pharmacists, not unlicensed sellers. He also encouraged people to check manufacturing and expiration dates, batch numbers, and scratch labels to confirm the authenticity of products.
“If our people are informed and stop buying fake drugs, it will discourage the quacks,” Gbadamosi added.
