The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed expired medicines and medical supplies valued at N59 million in Rivers State.
The products were destroyed at the Igwuruta dumpsite along the Eneka-Igwuruta Road after they were intercepted at the Nigerian Ports Authority Area 1 Port in Port Harcourt.
The agency said the items were imported from the United States in a 40-foot container and were intercepted by NAFDAC officials working with the Nigeria Customs Service.
The expired products included antidepressants, anti-ulcer medications, painkillers, drugs used to manage hypertension and other medical consumables.
Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC South-South Zonal Director, Chukwuma Oligbu, said the destruction was necessary to prevent the expired products from getting into circulation and endangering lives.
He warned that expired medicines could be diverted, misused or wrongly administered if they were allowed to remain in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Oligbu also urged organisations involved in donating medicines to Nigeria to ensure that such products have sufficient shelf life to allow for transportation, distribution and proper use before their expiry dates.
He said NAFDAC would continue to strengthen its surveillance, inspection and enforcement activities to ensure that unsafe and substandard medical products do not reach Nigerians
Inside Rivers state:
Police Bust Kidnap Syndicate, Rescue Abducted Woman in Rivers
The destruction exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Army.
Oligbu said continued cooperation among regulatory and security agencies remained important in preventing the diversion and unauthorised distribution of expired or unfit medical products.
He assured Nigerians that NAFDAC would continue to prioritise public health by ensuring that only medicines that meet required standards of safety, quality and effectiveness are available for use.
About the Author
Üsküdar Uygun Fiyatlı Su Kaçağı Tespiti Ortaköy’deki villamızda bahçe sulama hattında kaçak vardı. Detaylı rapor verdiler, çok memnunuz. https://titoff.it