Fake Drugs: NAFDAC Solicits Religious Bodies’ Support

L-R: Former Chairman, apc, Enugu State, Mrs Joy Ebe, Chairman, apc, Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye, u.s. Consul General in Nigeria, Mr John Bray and apc Women Leader, Enugu-West, Mrs Emmanuela Nkechi, during the visit of the Consul General to the party secretariat in Enugu, yesterday.

The National Agency
for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on religious bodies and residents of Abia State to join hands in the fight against unwholesome drugs.
The Chief Regulatory Officer of the agency’s Aba office in the state,  Mr Edoekpo Ekpo, told newsmen in Aba that it needed information from members of the public to perform its functions.
“They can help us by giving us information on what is happening around and close to them.
‘’We promise to always work on such information to stop the culprits from continuing their wicked activities,” he said.
Ekpo said he would constitute a task force to check the sale of fake and counterfeit drugs in the state.
He expressed concern that many residents often misconstrued the functions of NAFDAC, a development he said sometimes resulted to conflict of interest.
He said that the agency’s workers were out to fight fake and counterfeit drugs, adding that they were working for the health and interest of the people.
“You will be surprised to see the way some of the people, even the people you expect to join the fight against drug faking, will react to NAFDAC staff carrying out their official functions.
“You try to stop somebody from hawking products in buses and the same people you are trying to protect are always antagonising you.”
He said some members of the public often justified their hatred for NAFDAC staff by saying that the drugs from hawkers cured their diseases and that the drug hawkers had to earn a living.
Ekpo, however, warned such members of the public to desist from patronising quacks and unregistered drug sellers in order not to endanger their health.
He also commended other residents who helped the agency to rid the state of fake, adulterated and illegal administration of drugs.