We are not disturbing trade; we are protecting lives. We cannot, because of trade, let people continue to die needlessly
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), carried out an inspection of the agency’s Enforcement Office in Apapa, Lagos, on Saturday.
The examination focused on illegal pharmaceuticals that were confiscated from the Idumota Open Drug Market.
During the course of the tour, Adeyeye observed that the NAFDAC warehouse had surpassed its maximum capacity, and that the excessive quantity of medications that had been seized had spilled over into the director’s office.
This was due to the overwhelming number of products that had been seized.
After the inspection, she addressed the media and emphasized that the fundamental objective of the agency is to safeguard the health of public health.
“We are not disturbing trade; we are protecting lives. We cannot, because of trade, let people continue to die needlessly. What NAFDAC is doing is exactly what it is mandated to do. There is no politics in this operation.”
Furthermore, Adeyeye disclosed that a significant number of stores within these marketplaces are operating unlawfully since they do not have the appropriate registration with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria.
She added that over one thousand people are actively engaged in the process of removing counterfeit, expired, and unregistered pharmaceuticals from circulation.
This was done in order to justify the increased enforcement efforts that the agency is conducting in Onitsha, Aba, and Idumota.