The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to be wary of the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines in Nigeria.
The Agency disclosed that the fake medicines, among others, include antimalaria and antibiotic drugs which, it lamented, pose crucial threats to public health.
NAFDAC has, therefore, intensified surveillance activities, regulation, education and awareness campaigns to safeguard public health as a part of efforts to checkmate the trend.
It also said that it had been working assiduously to mitigate the menace of fake medicines in the country, particularly in Kaduna State, where it disclosed the circulation of the substandard drugs during a community sensitisation workshop on Friday.
“We are maximising efforts to curb the menace of substandard and falsified medicines in the state,” Bala Mshelia, the Director of NAFDAC’s North West Zone, said during the workshop.
“The fight against substandard and falsified medicines cannot be won in isolation. It requires collaboration between government agencies, healthcare professionals, law enforcement and the public,” Mshelia said.
He urged everyone to join in the fight to ensure all drugs are safe for use.
Msheilia identified specific targeted medicines, including Fansidar 25/500mg and Combiart 20/120mg (antimalarials), OHEAL Ampicillin and Cloxacillin Capsules (antibiotics) as well as other medications for hypertension, diabetes and lifestyle diseases.
“As we proceed with this workshop, let us remember that the fight against substandard and falsified medicines cannot be won in isolation,” he noted.
“It requires collaboration between government agencies, healthcare professionals, law enforcement and the public. Together, we can create a future where every medicine on the shelf is safe, genuine and beneficial to the health of our communities,” he said.
The Vice Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists, Abosede Garba, said: “As frontline healthcare providers, pharmacists bear a crucial responsibility in combating this challenge. We must be vigilant, proactive, and steadfast in promoting safe medication use.”
The Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sunday Ukoh, said: “We must be on the lookout to do the needful.”
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