We have seized over N1.7trn worth of tramadol containers — NAFDAC DG
By Matthew Denis Abuja
The Director General of The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) , Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has disclosed that they have seized over N1.7trillion worth of tramadol containers across the country.
The DG made the disclosure during a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday while reemphasizing on the danger of some substandard and contaminated paediatric cough syrups which was in circulation in Gambia that had killed 66 children in Gambia according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
She said, “We have been doing a lot since my resumption in enforcement and at a point when I came in, the country was swimming in tramadol. I felt that they are trying to destroy us because once you have torched the youths you have destroyed the nation.
“The oversea manufacturers were raining tramadol on us and at that stage there was some issues with Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) which they also called us to action and we promptly responded.
“So for the first six months I was running after tramadol and we have seized over N1.7trillion worth of tramadol containers since that time. We were called by informants at high places that we should expect 31 containers of tramadol that were labelled as building materials. It was only one out of the containers that contained building materials.
“Those containers are worth over N1.7 trillion and NDLEA assisted us and I commended their leader. For us we have hundreds of thousands medicine that have been ceased and destroyed.
“We have stepped up our enforcement and the last rate we got was N1.3billion worth of medicines falsified bagged and counterfeited. We go around every week to carry out arrest and bans through information by the public because we cannot do it alone and we appreciate such gesture.”
According to her, in terms of medicines shipment the country imports about 70 percent which she always get depressed with such activities.
“In terms of bringing in shipment of medicine we import about 70 percent and I get depressed on why should we be so dependent on other countries. That doesn’t mean we’ll not import some medicine but not 70 percent, So we took the war to China and India in 2019 to let our clean Report Inspection Analysts know that if you are doing business with us you must do it at the same level of protecting the health of our people. We started working directly with their laboratories to checkmate their activities before shipment.”
Speaking on the ban of the four products from consumption, she stressed that they can lead to timely death as she also warned importers and distributors against their circulation in the markets especially in Nigeria.
Prof. Adeyeye stated that the four products are Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
She said, “As a member of the WHO Programme on International Drug Monitoring and following our active participation in the WHO member state mechanism on substandard and falsified medical products, NAFDAC is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that these products do not cause harm to our people.
“As part of our regulatory controls, NAFDAC have issued an alert to the public on the Public Alert No. 039/2022 – Alert on Substandard (contaminated) paediatric cough syrups circulating in Gambia. This alert has been widely circulated on our website and all social media handles and sent to all health care providers on our database as well as professional bodies and association in the medicine supply chain.
“We have put appropriate measures in place to prevent entry of these spurious products from the various ports of entry and have activated our internal surveillance mechanisms to mop up these products from the supply chain pipeline if they are ever found.
“NAFDAC is using these medium to further notify healthcare providers and awaken the consciousness of the public on these four substandard products, identified in The Gambia and reported to WHO in September 2022.
“It is pertinent to note that toxic effects of this contamination in cough syrup include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney injury which may lead to death. According to WHO, the four cold and cough syrups in question have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children in Gambia.
“All batches of these products listed above should be considered unsafe. The substandard products in this alert are unsafe and their use, in children and adults will result in serious injury or death. These products are not registered by NAFDAC, therefore should not be in circulation.”
The DG implored importers, distributors, retailers and consumers and stakeholders to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of the substandard cough syrups noting that all medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers.
In a related development the DG noted that the attention of the agency has been drawn to the activities of some impostors and fraudulent individuals impersonating the Director General of NAFDAC Prof Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye via her social media accounts, Facebook and Linkedin.
She said, “These impostors are asking for money in exchange for employment and other favours. This is a security breach. NAFDAC and the Director General will never request for gratification to carry out its mandate as a result of this the social media account of the Director General will no longer be in use until further notice while appealing to members of the Public to report any case of these to the appropriate quota.”
