NAFDAC Destroys drugs worth N500 Million in Anambra

Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii has destroyed expired , adulterated and substandard drugs worth over five hundred million (N500 Million) in Anambra state reports www.odogwublog.com.

NAFDAC DG was in Enugu three months ago and carried out destruction of expired, adulterated and substandard items seized from Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, and Abia states.

Dr Orhii who stormed Awka alongside other NAFDAC chiefs was assisted by officers from the Police, Immigration, DSS, Army, Navy and Red Cross.

He put the cost of the items destroyed at about Four hundred and eighty four million, two hundred thousand and four hundred and twenty(N484,200,420) that were seized from manufacturers, importers, traders and other stakeholders. While a larger percentage according to The NAFDAC boss were willingly and voluntarily handed over as expired items by the traders.

While commending the traders for opting to hand over expired and substandard products in their possession, he disclosed that his team came to ensure the destruction of the unwholesome items to avoid them getting back into the markets.

He disclosed that the agency yesterday successfully arraigned a Chinese national in an Awka Federal High Court for the illegal importation of large quantity of diapers. And that six containers of assorted drugs especially the Viagra were intercepted by the agency’s operatives and were presently at the Oshodi, Lagos office awaiting destruction.

He noted that financial challenges has hampered the acquisition of drugs testing machines and incinerators for all the key drugs makers in the country but was quick to point out that NAFDAC was currently working it out with the federal government.

The President of the Onitsha Patent Medicine Dealers Association, Mr Uche Eze described the efforts of the agency in ridding the nation of fake and unwholesome producers as tremendous. He assured of the cooperation of his members always, noting that a larger percentage of the drugs from them were expired drugs willingly handed over.

The South East Zonal Coordinator of NAFDAC, Dauda Gimba listed the highest adulterated and faked seized items to include baby food/infant formula, drugs for gastric ulcer, different classes of multivitamins, anti diabetics, herbal preparations, antibiotic injections, blood tonic for all ages, eye drops, ear drops, anti fungal preparations, Vit K for bleeding, drugs for indigestion, drugs for asthma, contraceptive pills and anti malarials as well as veterinary drugs.