NAFDAC, Kano govt destroy N600m fake drugs

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Kano State Government have jointly destroyed fake drugs worth N600m.

The fake drugs were impounded by the state government following a month long crackdown on many illegal and clandestine pharmaceutical outlets across the state.

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, jointly supervised the burning of more than 10 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs conveyed to the Kano city dumpsite.

In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said that among the burnt drugs were hundreds of cartons of counterfeit Chloroquine, banned Analgin injections and 14 million tablets of Tramoldine drugs often abused by commercial drivers and motorcyclists valued at over N135m.

Kwankwaso said his administration had declared a battle against drug counterfeiters in the state, vowing not to relax until “those merchants of deaths vacate the state.”

Kwankwaso announced December 31, 2012 as the final deadline for drug dealers in Sabon-Gari Market in Kano metropolis to relocate their businesses.

He said the market had been declared illegal for sale of medicines, insisting drugs must be left to pharmacists and trained chemists to dispense rather than charlatans.

He said his administration was highly committed to qualitative healthcare delivery to her citizens and would therefore strive to protect the integrity and safety of medicine supply chains in the state.

He lauded Orhii and his management for the introduction of the cutting-edge technologies such as the TRUSCAN and the GSM Text Message Service to combat the hydra-headed problem of drug counterfeiting in the country.

Orhii on his part commended the exemplary conduct of the Kwankwaso government for her bold initiative in partnering with the agency to check the menace of fake drugs.

The NAFDAC boss stated that the seizure of N600m worth of fake drugs in state was a monumental achievement because of its strategic position as a commercial nerve centre and hub for the supply of drugs to other states and neighbouring countries.

punThe National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Kano State Government have jointly destroyed fake drugs worth N600m.

The fake drugs were impounded by the state government following a month long crackdown on many illegal and clandestine pharmaceutical outlets across the state.

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, jointly supervised the burning of more than 10 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs conveyed to the Kano city dumpsite.

In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said that among the burnt drugs were hundreds of cartons of counterfeit Chloroquine, banned Analgin injections and 14 million tablets of Tramoldine drugs often abused by commercial drivers and motorcyclists valued at over N135m.

Kwankwaso said his administration had declared a battle against drug counterfeiters in the state, vowing not to relax until “those merchants of deaths vacate the state.”

Kwankwaso announced December 31, 2012 as the final deadline for drug dealers in Sabon-Gari Market in Kano metropolis to relocate their businesses.

He said the market had been declared illegal for sale of medicines, insisting drugs must be left to pharmacists and trained chemists to dispense rather than charlatans.

He said his administration was highly committed to qualitative healthcare delivery to her citizens and would therefore strive to protect the integrity and safety of medicine supply chains in the state.

He lauded Orhii and his management for the introduction of the cutting-edge technologies such as the TRUSCAN and the GSM Text Message Service to combat the hydra-headed problem of drug counterfeiting in the country.

Orhii on his part commended the exemplary conduct of the Kwankwaso government for her bold initiative in partnering with the agency to check the menace of fake drugs.

The NAFDAC boss stated that the seizure of N600m worth of fake drugs in state was a monumental achievement because of its strategic position as a commercial nerve centre and hub for the supply of drugs to other states and neighbouring countries.

Punch