The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control seized unregistered/expired aphrodisiacs and other drugs worth N20 million in Kaduna state on Monday.
The agency made the seizures during a raid on 26 shops in the Sabon Gari market in the state’s Zaria LGA.
The seizures were microgynon, medicines intended to be distributed free of charge to internally displaced people, and oxytocin (injection for women who gave birth), which required a specific temperature to be stored, but were found out in the open.
Addressing reporters after the raid, Deputy Director in charge of NAFDAC Enforcement and Investigation Directorate, Kaduna office, Tamanuwa Andrew, said the ongoing exercise was aimed at ridding the markets of substandard and counterfeit medicines.
He pointed out that counterfeit, expired and substandard medicines pose great challenges for the whole world, including Nigeria, which is a developing country.
“The seized aphrodisiacs were found to contain up to 200 milligrams of strength, which was more than 100mg recorded by the agency,” it said.
He mentioned some of the challenges to include increased hospitalization, development of resistance, and treatment failure that ultimately resulted in death.
He also pointed out that unpatriotic businessmen target drugs with a high volume of use such as antimalarials, antibiotics, antihypertensives, among others, for the treatment of diseases.
The deputy director explained that one of the strategies used by NAFDAC to reduce or minimize the threat of counterfeit and substandard products was the continuous cleaning of products in circulation.
YAYA