afrol News, 27 January - Nigeria's National Agency for Drug Administration and Control has begun a crackdown on local pharmacies selling fake drugs. The agency acquired a Truscan machine late last year to tackle the fake drug use in the country.

The Deputy Director in the organisation, Anyakora Clementina, said it has become necessary to deal with the issue of fake drugs in the country given its harzardous nature and their effects on the health of the people.

"The issue of fake drugs has given Nigeria a bad name, as if Nigeria is a dumping ground for fake drugs," she said.

The officials said anybody found selling fake drugs will be brought to the agency to furnish the officials with the details and addresses where the drugs were bought.

Recently carried out raids found that the alleged fake anti-malaria drugs and other antibiotics, including Lonart, Amoxil and Ampiclox did not pass the on-the-spot test the NAFDAC officials carried out on the drugs with the aid of their newly acquired Truscan Test Machine.

Other fake drugs uncovered during the raid included Fammiol, Eurosumate, Augmentin, Amalar and Metakefin.

The NAFDAC officials have so far carried their raids and on-the-spot random test of the drugs to Warri and Benin streets section of the Abubakar Gummi Central Market.

The agency officials have also promptly ordered that the confirmed fake anti-malaria drugs be put “on hold” pending when they would be evacuated from the dealers’ shops and threatened to seal off the various shops where the fake drugs were discovered.

The seized fake drugs, the NAFDAC officials also said, would be subjected to further laboratory tests and the dealers would be prosecuted.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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