Re: Shine your eyes, NAFDAC
It is correct that a preponderant percentage of fake drugs influx into the country comes from china and India but the extant reality is that a lion share of our genuine, good quality and affordable drugs equally come from these two Asian countries. The 95% fake drugs importation from China are attributable to a few […]
It is correct that a preponderant percentage of fake drugs influx into the country comes from china and India but the extant reality is that a lion share of our genuine, good quality and affordable drugs equally come from these two Asian countries. The 95% fake drugs importation from China are attributable to a few bad elements who conspire with their notorious Nigerian cohorts to bring counterfeit drugs into the country. It was these few bad eggs in China and Nigeria that NAFDAC was vociferously seeking the collaboration of her Chinese counterpart to totally eliminate. Given our porous borders, NAFDAC believes that a joint effort was necessary to tackle the menace.
The dastardly activities of a few 419 fraudsters and hard drug couriers have dented the image of our beloved nation but there is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria proudly boasts of millions of hardworking, honest and dedicated men and women. We are not all scammers and should not all be condemned.
A blanket ban on all drugs imported from China is not the solution as it would rather exacerbate the incidence of fake drugs importation because those Chinese fake drug manufacturers will fill the void created with the exit of their genuine counterparts. However, it is on record that the Federal Government has already placed a ban on importation of some pharmaceutical products in which Nigeria drug companies can produce to full capacity.
Key players in the pharmaceutical industry are aware that part of the new strategies adopted by the incumbent Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii is the beefing up of the production capacity of our indigenous pharmaceutical companies and supporting them towards achieving World Health Organization (WHO) pre- qualification. The intended objective is to reduce our reliance on importation of essential drugs to the barest minimum and eliminate fake drugs. Dr. Orhii has consistently canvassed and propagated self-sufficiency in drug production as a national security issue and frowns at wholesale drugs importation. He also believes that it is not good for our economy and national interest to be wholly dependent on foreign countries for our essential drug needs.
Bala Muhammed must be commended for advocating a review of NAFDAC laws with a view to imposing death penalty for fake drug offenders. This view is in consonance with oft quoted postulation of Dr Orhii who on assumption of office in January, 2009 quickly took such a drastic position and went further to establish a Law Review Committee with Prof. Auwwal Yadudu as chairman and some other legal luminaries as members. The draft review is to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration. This is in tandem with the introduction of cutting edge technologies by NAFDAC under Dr. Orhii to fight importation and production of counterfeit drugs in the country.
There are a wide range of other measures already taken by the agency to combat the hydra-headed problem of drug counterfeiting both internally and externally. Space will not permit me to recount them here but they have been reported in the media. NAFDAC’s eagle eyes are wide open and shining towards ridding the country of fake drugs menace. Nonetheless, I say Kudos for that thought provoking write–up.
Jimoh is DD (PR & PU) NAFDAC