The fake caregiver reportedly attempted to reassure affected patients by falsely explaining that the swelling was a positive sign of the medicine working, claiming that impurities were being expelled through mucus and liquid discharge.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently exposed a clandestine group of fake health caregivers who have been masquerading as missionaries in Rivers State.
This alarming discovery was made public by the agency’s South-South Zonal Director, Pharmacist Chukwuma Oligbu, during a press briefing held in Port Harcourt on Monday.
According to Pharmacist Oligbu, these impostors were actively operating within the Abuloma Community Town Hall, located in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
Their modes of operating involved exploiting the goodwill and trust of the local residents by presenting themselves as benevolent missionaries providing free health services. However, behind this façade lay a sinister scheme involving the distribution of unregistered and potentially harmful medical products.
In a recent operation at the site, NAFDAC officials arrested a woman who was caught administering various drugs to unsuspecting community members. Alongside the arrest, the agency confiscated numerous unregistered products, raising significant public health concerns. These products included eye drops, bottled water, and cleansers—all bearing dubious claims of medical efficacy.
Pharmacist Oligbu elaborated that the uncovering of this illegal activity was made possible through a tip-off by a vigilant member of the public who grew suspicious of the group’s evangelism-driven health campaign.
The informant alerted authorities that these fake caregivers were distributing products under the guise of evangelism, thereby misleading innocent residents into consuming unapproved and potentially dangerous substances.
Among the confiscated items were branded products such as “Evangelist Jenkins Supernatural Water,” “Evangelist Jenkins Cleanser,” and “Evangelist Jenkins Eye-drop.”
These items were fraudulently marketed with broad and scientifically unsupported claims to treat a range of serious ailments, including goitre, cancer, piles, arthritis, skin rashes, fibroids, cataracts, and glaucoma. Such claims not only violate regulatory standards but also endanger the lives of those who rely on these supposed treatments.
Disturbingly, it was reported that some individuals who used the counterfeit eye drops suffered adverse reactions, including eye swelling.
The fake caregiver reportedly attempted to reassure affected patients by falsely explaining that the swelling was a positive sign of the medicine working, claiming that impurities were being expelled through mucus and liquid discharge. This dangerously misleading information further highlights the recklessness of the perpetrators and the potential harm inflicted on vulnerable individuals.
In light of these events, Pharmacist Oligbu issued a stern warning to the public, urging people to exercise caution and skepticism towards individuals posing as evangelists or health workers offering unverified medicinal products.
He emphasized that such unscrupulous elements exploit the guise of religion or goodwill to distribute concoctions that have not undergone any regulatory approval or quality assurance.
The agency is currently taking legal steps to prosecute the woman arrested at the scene. Additionally, efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the main orchestrator of this fraudulent health operation, referred to as the “fake doctor,” who remains at large.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by regulatory bodies like NAFDAC in safeguarding public health and highlights the critical importance of community vigilance and prompt reporting of suspicious activities.
NAFDAC continues to advocate for the use of only registered and approved medicines and cautions the public against falling victim to deceptive health claims, which can have serious or even fatal consequences.