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Sub-standard Products: APFFLON Urges SON to Adopt NAFDAC’s New measure

...Commends NAFDAC on moves to prevent influx of fake drugs

By Mcanthony Onuoha

Following its novel plan to adopt a different approach to prevent the influx of unwholesome drugs into the Nigerian Market, Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), has commended the National Agency For Food and Drugs Administration and  Control (NAFDAC) for the Noble initiative.

The Director- General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye had disclosed in a press statement issued on Sunday 27th of September 2020 that the agency had concluded plans to partner with Pre- shipment agents to checkmate the importation of fake drugs from China and India into Nigeria.

The NAFDAC Boss said the move was important as adoption of drastic preventive measures had become necessary in its quest to discourage fake drugs peddlers from carrying out their lethal enterprise to the detriment of the general populace, stating that it was the only way to rid the country of substandard and falsified drugs.

Adeyeye explained that the move was part of the agency’s efforts to take the war against unwholesome drugs to countries of origin, disclosing that 70 percent of drugs on Nigerian shelves are imported while only 20 percent are produced locally. She assured that the Agency was now going to the source to ensure comprehensive pre-shipment analysis.

Prof. Adeyeye further disclosed that her management team had visited the two Oriental Countries to rub minds with the agents whom she said have understood that they are now responsible for the quality of drugs to be  imported into Nigeria, adding that they have been given the prerequisites that must be met before their laboratories are chosen for products analysis prior to their  shipments.

Adeyeye maintained that the Agency was starting from the source to ensure that the medical products or drugs that come into Nigeria are safe and unblemished.

Meanwhile, APFFLON in a statement issued on Monday by its national President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, commended NAFDAC for the idea, describing it as Noble. 

The APFFLON President added that the preventive measure had been long expected as its earlier adoption, if not compromised along the line, would have impacted positively on the health and wellness of Nigerians who had for very long time been exposed to killer drugs. 

Ogunojemite who lamented the rate of untimely deaths in the country blamed it on the unchecked lethal activities of fake drugs peddlers, pointing that by not putting adequate measures in place to curb the influx of unwholesome drugs into the country has imposed avoidable danger to the health and wellness of vulnerable Nigerians.

The APFFLON President urged NAFDAC to ensure that the intended measure was not in anyway compromised.  He also commended the Director- General of the agency for her innovative ideas and advised her to tighten up the loose ends in her quest to placing the country on the path of wellness.

Meanwhile, the APFFLON President has called on the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), to toe the path of NAFDAC instead of clamouring for its return to the ports, saying adopting the same measures to forestall importation of substandard products right from countries of source remains ideal, especially at a time like this when automation is fast replacing physical presence and manual labour.

Ogunojemite maintained that if the measure could be used to successfully curb the influx of unwholesome food and drugs then nothing stops the measure from addressing that of other substandard products, adding that if the war is taken to countries of origin, the agencies’ task would have been reduced to the barest minimum.

editor

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