In a decisive move to rid the States of counterfeit drugs, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Kano State Government have jointly destroyed fake drugs worth N600million. The fake drugs were impounded by Kano State Government following a month long crackdown on various illegal and clandestine pharmaceutical outlets across the State.
Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Director- General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii jointly supervised the burning of more than 10 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs conveyed to the Kano city dumpsite.
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 N135 million.
Visibly angry Governor Kwankwaso said the Kano State Government had declared a ferocious battle against drug counterfeiters in the State and vowed not to leave any stone unturned until “those merchants of deaths vacate the State”.
Dr. Kwankwaso announced 31st December, 2012 as the final deadline for drug dealers in Sabon-gari market in Kano metropolis to relocate their businesses as the market has been declared illegal for sale of medicines which he insisted must be left to Pharmacists and trained Chemists to dispense rather than charlatans.
According to the Governor, the State Government is 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.
The Governor commended the Director- General of NAFDAC 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.
Earlier, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii praised the exemplary conduct of Kano State Government for her bold initiative in partnering with the Agency to check the menace of fake drugs.
Dr. Orhii stated that the seizure of N600million worth of fake drugs in Kano State is a monumental achievement because of its strategic position as commercial nerve centre and hub for the supply of drugs to other states and neighbouring countries.
In his words “NAFDAC has introduced innovative, multi-layered and well coordinated strategies to fight drug counterfeiting. The use of cutting- edge technologies such as TRUSCAN and Mobile Authentication Service has made NAFDAC one of the top 20 Medicines Regulatory Agencies in the world. The seizure and destruction of N600million fake drugs in Kano is therefore historic because as a commercial nerve centre and hub for distribution of drugs to other states and neighbouring countries, the dislodging of counterfeiters from the state will help wipe out such spurious medicines and even unwholesome processed foods in other parts of the country”.
The Director- General appealed to other State Governments to emulate the good gesture of Kano State Government and enlist in the fight against drug counterfeiting.
Abubakar Jimoh
Deputy Director (Public Relations & Protocol Unit)
