The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for increased public vigilance in Katsina State, urging residents to report individuals and businesses suspected of distributing counterfeit medicines and other substandard regulated products.
The agency said tackling the circulation of fake drugs required a collective effort involving government regulators, traders, healthcare professionals, community leaders and ordinary citizens, noting that effective monitoring of the market could not be achieved through regulatory enforcement alone.
Katsina State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Pharmacist Musa Momodu Ikhazobor, made the appeal during an interactive engagement with stakeholders in the state, where concerns surrounding the circulation of fake and potentially harmful products were discussed.
He urged residents to develop the habit of reporting suspicious products and commercial activities rather than allowing suspected cases of counterfeiting to go unchallenged.
According to him, the situation surrounding the availability of fake products in the state had become a source of concern, making it necessary for members of the public to cooperate more closely with the agency.
Ikhazobor stressed that residents should not hesitate to alert NAFDAC whenever they encounter medicines or other regulated products they suspect may be counterfeit, improperly handled or distributed through unauthorised channels.
He explained that information from members of the public could provide valuable leads for the agency’s regulatory officers, particularly in identifying locations where suspected fake products were being stored, marketed or sold.
The coordinator also encouraged residents to take advantage of modern communication platforms when reporting suspicious activities, pointing out that NAFDAC could receive information through social media channels, including Facebook and TikTok.
He noted that the availability of these platforms had made communication between regulatory authorities and the public easier, allowing individuals to share relevant information without necessarily having to visit an agency office before raising an alarm.
The NAFDAC official further disclosed that the agency maintains offices in every state of the federation, providing residents with opportunities to report suspected violations and seek clarification about products they consider questionable.
He maintained that the agency could not independently monitor every shop, residential building, market, warehouse and business establishment across the state, regardless of the number of personnel deployed for regulatory activities.
For this reason, he described public cooperation as an important component of the agency’s efforts to identify offenders and prevent potentially dangerous products from reaching consumers.
Ikhazobor observed that information supplied by residents had been useful in supporting NAFDAC’s activities, adding that people who encounter suspicious products could contribute significantly to the protection of public health by reporting their observations.
He urged the public not to assume that the responsibility for identifying and stopping counterfeit products rested exclusively with government officials, explaining that consumers and other members of society also had important roles to play.
The coordinator equally addressed concerns surrounding the safety of individuals who provide information to the agency, assuring potential informants that their identities would be treated confidentially when they submit credible reports.
He said the assurance was intended to encourage more residents to cooperate with NAFDAC without worrying about the disclosure of their identities.
The confidentiality arrangement, he indicated, would help build public confidence in the reporting process and encourage people with useful information to approach the agency.
The interactive meeting also provided an opportunity for NAFDAC and stakeholders to exchange views on issues affecting the agency’s activities in Katsina State.
Ikhazobor described the engagement as timely and successful, expressing satisfaction with the contributions and feedback received from participants.
He noted that the observations raised during the discussions were important to the agency, particularly in understanding the challenges confronting its regulatory operations and identifying areas where collaboration with stakeholders could be strengthened.
The meeting underscored the importance of maintaining an effective relationship between NAFDAC and the different groups whose activities are connected to the production, distribution, sale and consumption of regulated products.
The circulation of counterfeit medicines remains a public health concern because consumers who unknowingly purchase fake or substandard drugs may be exposed to products that fail to provide the expected treatment benefits.
Such products can also create additional health risks, particularly when patients depend on them for the treatment of serious illnesses without knowing that their quality, safety or effectiveness may have been compromised.
Apart from medicines, substandard regulated products can also expose consumers to avoidable dangers, making effective market surveillance and public awareness important parts of consumer protection.
NAFDAC has continued to encourage Nigerians to pay attention to the quality and sources of products they purchase, particularly medicines obtained from questionable outlets or sellers operating outside recognised distribution channels.
The agency’s appeal in Katsina therefore places emphasis on the need for residents to become more conscious of suspicious commercial activities and make responsible use of the available channels for reporting them.
Ikhazobor’s message was that regulatory agencies could achieve more when members of the public actively support their work by providing timely and reliable information.
He encouraged residents to maintain communication with NAFDAC and avoid withholding information that could assist the agency in identifying suspected counterfeit products and addressing violations.
The agency is seeking stronger cooperation from communities across Katsina State as it continues its efforts to safeguard consumers and improve compliance with regulations governing the sale and distribution of medicines and other regulated products.
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