The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reported on Sunday that it seized 16 containers of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products, estimated at street value of N20.5 billion, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, stated that the consignment comprised 11 containers of various unregistered/banned pharmaceutical products and four containers of unwholesome Tomato paste and they were handed to the NAFDAC Director-General by the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, as part of the Institutional Collaborative Synergy between the two organizations.
According to the consultant, some of the various substandard regulated products seized were 1.3 million bottles of Codeine Syrup, (a highly controlled Prescription-Only Medicine), 12.6 million tablets of Tramadol, a highly addictive Prescription-Only Drug product used for the management of Post-Operative Pain in Adults.
Others include, 9.3 million tablets of Substandard and Falsified (Branded) Diclofenac Tablets (a Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Prescription Drug used for the Management of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis), 280 Packages of Hyergra tablets, (a falsified brand of Sildenafil Citrate for the management of Erectile Dysfunction in Men) as well as four containers of Unregistered and substandard Tomato paste.
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In her remarks, Director-General of the NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the Comptroller-General of Customs and his team for partnering the agency in its fight against the importation of illicit, substandard and unwholesome products.
Adeyeye also warned importers and their collaborators in the illicit trade, stressing that the agency will not allow substandard and fake food and drug products to be distributed to consumers in the country.
She maintained that “recent threats of death, kidnapping of our staff and other attempts to dampen our zeal will continue to fail, because God, as well as our people are on our side.”
The Director-General appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians to partner with NAFDAC by reporting all suspected cases of manufacture, importation, distribution or sale of fake and substandard products through NAFDAC’s offices nationwide or through the agency’s various social media channels.
She listed some of the risks associated with consumption of sub-standard products as including acute food poisoning and gastrointestinal illness from adulterants in expired food products; nutritional deficiencies and undermined food value.
Others are, chronic organ damage from toxic metabolites and heavy metals in expired food; Increased Cancer Risk from expired colorants, dyes and preservatives; Allergic and Respiratory Reactions from hidden allergens or artificial additives as well as Food Addiction & Cognitive Disruption from Expired Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) engineered to be hyper palatable, high in sugar, fat and salt.
To consolidate on the agency’s success in the fight against sub-standard products marketing and consumption in the country, Adeyeye harped on the need for strong collaboration among all relevant agencies, promising that NAFDAC’s management will continue to adopt new strategies towards partnering with such agencies, organizations and individuals to build a safer and healthier nation.
