Onitsha Drug Market Gets Kudos Over Standard Compliance

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, has said that the Onitsha Drug Market now complies with the agency’s standard on drugs.

The Director-General told newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra,  after a sensitisation programme for traders at the Onitsha Bridge-Head Drug Market. The programme was organised by NAFDAC in  collaboration with Christabel International.

“Our surprise visit to the Onitsha Bridge-Head Drug Market for a survey using the Truscan machine, which is a high technical instrument and world’s standard in measuring the quality of medicines, shows that only 5 per cent were fake among the drugs tested.

“I think that is a significant improvement. We hope to continue this effort until we reduce fake drugs in this market to the barest minimum,’’ he said.

Orhii gave an assurance that the agency would continue its massive sensitisation efforts to make the public be aware of the dangers inherent in taking fake drugs.

He said: “We definitely believe that this is very effective, and there is no strong force than the force of a people who have taken their destiny in their own hands.

“I think it is stronger than any force coming to dislodge fake drugs from the market.

“I am very optimistic about the results, we are already seeing improvement and in the next few years we shall come here to celebrate that Onitsha Bridge Head Drug Market is free of fake drugs.’’ 

He, however, reiterated the commitment of the agency to work with the National Assembly to ensure life jail-term for those caught in the act of producing fake and sub-standard drugs in the country.

The commissioner for Health, Prof. Amobi Ilika, who represented Gov. Peter Obi, said that the state government would continue to support NAFDAC in its fight to eradicate fake drugs in the state.