The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday asked adulterated drugs manufacturers and paddlers in rural areas in Anambra to quit or face prosecution.
Mr Dauda Gimba, the Co-ordinator, NAFDAC Special Zonal Office, Onitsha, gave the warning in Onitsha, after he inaugurated the NAFDAC Local Government Desk Officers in 21 Local Governments in the state.
Gimba said the extensive monitoring and raid of major drug markets in Onitsha and cities in Anambra had made the adulterated drugs manufacturers and paddlers to operate in rural areas.
“It would be a total show-down and the only option left for fake and adulterated drugs manufacturers and paddlers in Anambra is for them to quit and relocate from the state.
“We now have rural area foot soldiers, who have also equipped to track them down.
“Our rural foot soldiers have the regulatory backing to work with NAFDAC and in the next few weeks; I am sure anticipated results would start coming in,’’ he said.
The co-ordinator, however, used the occasion to call on those manufacturers of genuine drug products in remote areas yet to register them to do so very fast in their own interest.
“Our job would be thorough and there would be no room for any excuse.
“Since we have asked our newly inaugurated officers to start sensitisation on our standards and letting them know the due process for drug, product testing, certification and registration.’’
Gimba also called on herbal medicine producers to register their products.
“For the herbal drugs, which we know by tradition some of our rural people cannot do without, the agency has simplified the process of their registration.’’
Mr Leonard Nwafor, the NAFDAC Desk Officer in Orumba North LGA, said that NAFDAC action would help protect rural people from the activities of quacks.
“We would help the agency and by extension our people to stop most of these non-sense that had been unchecked for many years now even though NAFDAC have existed nearly two decades now.
“Out target would be those displaying drugs in the sun for sale; foreign doctors from Niger, who invade our communities with drugs claiming to heal various ailments at the same time.
“Cottage drug industries, whose products are not registered,’’ Nwafor said. (NAN)