The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that its findings in three open drug markets could have devastating consequences for millions of Nigerians.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency’s Director-General, made this revelation during a press briefing held in Lagos on Friday.
NAFDAC recently launched enforcement operations at three major open drug markets: Idumota in Lagos, Ariaria in Aba, and Bridge Market in Onitsha.
The operations, which began on February 10, resulted in the seizure of 100 truckloads (40-feet each) of counterfeit, banned, unregistered drugs, and narcotics.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, emphasised that these markets serve as distribution hubs for over 80% of medications in the country.
She warned that the discoveries made during the operations could have catastrophic consequences, potentially ruining the nation and severely compromising the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.
Adeyeye stressed that the enforcement efforts are critical to eliminating falsified and unregistered drugs from the country.
She said, “What we found during our enforcement operations in Idumota, Aba and Onitsha open drug markets can ruin a nation and reduce the quality of life of Nigerians.
“If a patient with diabetes or hypertension takes some of the drugs we evacuated, such a person or people can die easily with what we found.
“In Onitsha and Aba, we evacuated close to 80 40-feet truckloads of drugs from the markets and various warehouses where drugs were stored without windows.
“We discovered 12 truckloads of tramadol and four truckloads of codeine syrups that were banned for treatment some years ago in the plumbing line, fashion line and wood section in the market.
“We have already destroyed 27 40-feet truckloads of drugs we evacuated from Idumota market.”
She said the agency would not relent in its efforts to checkmate activities at the markets till they relocate to a coordinated wholesale centre.
Adeyeye said the enforcement operations at Idumota and Aba markets concluded on Feb. 28, while the exercise ended on March 5 in Onitsha.
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