NAFDAC warns water, drug dealers against sales of substandard products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a stern warning to water producers, patent medicine dealers, and other manufacturers of regulated products, cautioning them against the sale of fake and substandard goods.

This warning was delivered by Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, NAFDAC’s Southwest Coordinator, during a stakeholder engagement meeting held on Friday in Ibadan.

Ajayi highlighted concerns arising from a recent operation by the agency, which revealed troubling practices among some patent medicine dealers. The operation found that certain dealers were selling restricted drugs and unregistered products, posing significant risks to public health.

Additionally, the agency noted that some manufacturers were not adhering to the required packaging and storage standards for their products. These lapses in compliance could lead to the distribution of unsafe products, further endangering consumers.

Mrs. Ajayi emphasized that NAFDAC is committed to safeguarding public health and will continue to monitor and enforce regulations strictly. She urged all stakeholders in the production and distribution of regulated products to ensure they comply with the agency’s standards to avoid sanctions.

“Recently, we observed that bread sold in the markets is failing laboratory tests because producers are using saccharine due to the high cost of sugar.

“They are introducing ingredients that are not good for the health of consumers.

“We are not unmindful of the prevailing economic challenges, but the agency will not compromise its standards.

“It is pertinent to note that the quality and safety of regulated products cannot be compromised,” she said.

Ajayi, however, said that the engagement meeting was to solicit more collaboration and support from the relevant stakeholders for the agency to fulfil its mandate of safeguarding the health of the citizens.

“Within the last year, several regulatory decisions have been made.

“Some have been gazetted; these are meant to strengthen and sanitise the practices in the regulatory environment.

“All stakeholders must embrace the culture and requirements for good practices related to each sector to guarantee quality, safety, and wholesomeness of regulated products available to citizens,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Moses Adewole, the Oyo State Director of Pharmaceutical Services, urged medicine sellers to restrict themselves to the scope of their expertise.

Adewole also warned the participants to avoid selling expired drugs, adding that selling such was equivalent to giving poison to the citizens.

Commenting, Mr Oladimeji Shittu, Oyo State Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPMED), urged NAFDAC to make the stakeholder’s engagement a routine programme for a prompt update on development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were drawn from master bakers, chemical dealers, agro-input dealers, importers, supermarket operators, manufacturers, and distributors of regulated products, among others. (NAN)