No killer anti-malarial drugs in Nigeria – NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) acting Director-General, Mrs Yetunde Oni, has said there are no killer anti-malarial medicines in Nigeria. Speaking in Lagos on the backdrop of anti-malarial medicines purportedly banned by the European Union but circulating in the country, Mrs Oni said the allegedly banned anti-malarial medicines are […]

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) acting Director-General, Mrs Yetunde Oni, has said there are no killer anti-malarial medicines in Nigeria.

Speaking in Lagos on the backdrop of anti-malarial medicines purportedly banned by the European Union but circulating in the country, Mrs Oni said the allegedly banned anti-malarial medicines are oral monotherapies containing single Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) such as Artesunate as contained in Arinate Tablet, Amodiaquine as contained in Camoquine, Dihydroartemisinin contained in Alaxin Tablet and Pyrimethamine contained in Daraprim Tablet.

According to her, the anti-malarial monotherapies are not recommended for treatment of malaria in Nigeria adding that the recommended anti-malarial medicines for treatment of malaria in Nigeria are Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACTs).

She said the 42 anti-Malarial medicines purportedly banned by the European Union are oral monotherapies containing single Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) which are not recommended for treatment of malaria in Nigeria.