Sub-Standard Drugs Threat to MDG's Goals, Says NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said the continued existence of sub-standard and fake medicines constitutes a threat to the attainment of MDGs health goals. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, said this in an address at a sensitisation workshop for medicine sellers and distributors within the Bridge-Head Drug Market, Onitsha in Anambra on Friday. The theme of the workshop was "Fight against Fake and Sub-Standard Products - A Fight for All". Orhii, who was represented by a director of NAFDAC, Dr Samson Adebayo, said that everybody must work with the Federal Government to achieve the United Nations' MDGs targets. He said doing so would be for the benefit of all, especially the most vulnerable such as women and children. "The health focus of the Federal Government of Nigeria is in consonance with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, 5 and 6. "This advocates reduction in infant mortality, improvement in maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. "Fake and counterfeit medicines pose a great threat to the attainment of these goals as well as the overall public health. "They cause several health problems including treatment failure, organs and system failure, economic loss, sickness, death etc," he said. Orhii said that the new Drug Mega Plaza in Onitsha is in line with the recently introduced State and Mega Drug Distribution Centres (SMDDCs). He said that the plaza was meant to complement the drug market in Onitsha and exhibit required standard for places used for drug sales. "The Drug Mega Plaza in Onitsha will only complement the already existing Bridge-Head Drug Market as well as be a role model for all drug sales outlets in Anambra State and the entire country, " he said. Orhii, however, urged the drug traders to continue to work with the agency to ensure that unregistered, fake, sub-standard and adulterated drugs do not find their way into their markets. The Chairman of Bridge-Head Drug Market, Onitsha, Mr Ugochukwu Nwosu said the market leadership had implemented far-reaching policies to comply with the NAFDAC directive. He said that this would ensure tighter drug movement and sales monitoring. "We have closed 52 routes into the market; thus, leaving a gate-in and gate-out access into the market. "We have completed a NAFDAC office in the market, presently building a police post in the market; these measures would quicken enforcement and track-down of fake and sub-standard drug paddlers. "And we have energised our internal market fake drugs taskforce with trustworthy and agile traders, who are already performing well. "And we are even ready to do more to meet all NAFDAC conditions; the issue is not about the market but about how everyone would join hands to checkmate fake and sub-standard drugs to its barest minimal." Nwosu's market union is known as Onitsha Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Union (OPPMDU). NAN reports that the workshop, which was attended by over 5,000 traders from the Bridge-Head Market, Onitsha, was organised by NAFDAC in conjunction with Christabels International