NAFDAC Commends Soludo On Effort To Sanitise Drug Distribution System
The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for his cooperation with the agency in the fight against distribution of substandard pharmaceutical products.
Dr Martin’s Iluyomade, the Director in charge of Enugu Zonal operations made while announcing the reopening of the popular Onitsha medicine markets which was sealed on Feb. 10 on Wednesday.
He commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for his support for the operation of the agency by personally visiting the market and making statements which corrected some wrong impression of NAFDAC effort.
Iluyomade said apart from the menace of fake medicines the poor storage condition in the market compromised the quality and shelf life of genuine pharmaceutical products.
Commended Soludo do it the modern medicine market which he said the governor had promised to finish in good time.
“Medicines are chemicals which have a propensity to react or change with high temperature,many medicines expire before the expiring days.
“There is no shop here with windows, medicines are supposed to be kept under a particular humidity and temperature for good effect .
“I am happy that the governor told me that he was building a place where all the requisite conditions for storage of medicines would be provided.
“That is the starting point of solving this problem, Gov. Soludo is determined to ensure that lives of citizens are protected and we happy with what he is doing,” he said.
Iluyomade, who said the reopening would take effect from March 6 clarified that the operation was not meant to punish the neighboring markets which unfortunately served as major warehouse locations for the medicine traders..
He said the discovery in the market was alarming with the recovery of a large quantity of narcotic that would be enough to destabilise any nation.
“We have moved out fake and counterfeit medicines in not less than 50 trailers, saw a lot of medicines that have been banned as far back as 2007 for their negative effect on humans as well as a large quantity of unregistered medicines.
“The Federal Government is determined to sanitise this place because it is one of the most important medicine distribution centres in Nigeria, our operations here transcends this place.
“It is saddening to see that we have people as long as us whose only way of making money is to destabilize the country and kill innocent people.
“People deliberately bring in substandard products to sell.do we need to destroy this country because we want to make money ?
Dr Afam Obidike, Commissioner for Health who spoke for the government commended the traders for their cooperation with NAFDAC while the operation lasted.
Obidike said regulation of pharmaceutical products distributed was in the exclusive list but thanked NAFDAC for working with the Anambra government to ensure quick reopening of the market.
Also at the event was Me Evarist Ubah, Special Adviser on Market.
