NAFDAC Destroyed N25bn Worth Of Goods In Five Years, Says DG
SAN FRANCISCO, October 06, (THEWILL) – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Tuesday disclosed that in line with its mandate to safeguard the nation from counterfeit drug and unwholesome products, it has seized and destroyed N25 billion worth of products in the last five years.
NAFDAC Director General, Dr. Paul Orhii, who disclosed this, noted that this feat was achieved through various strategies which included deployment of cutting edge technology, which, he said, had reduced the incidences of fake drug from 60 percent in 2011 to 3.6 percent in 2015 especially as it regard anti-malaria drugs.
According to him, “people can confidently go to any pharmaceutical shop and buy genuine drugs using mobile authentication service which is now included in all anti-malaria and antibiotic drugs.”
Orhii made the disclosure at the commencement of a three-day sensitisation workshop on anti-corruption, gender and SERVICOM for its staff in Enugu in accordance with the federal government's directive that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should establish anti-corruption unit.
Declaring the workshop organised in alliance with Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),open, Orhii, who was represented by the NAFDAC deputy director special duties, Dr. Jimo Ibrahim, said the aim is to educate and strengthen the agency's anti-corruption war against counterfeiting and unwholesome practices in the country.
Noting that corruption must be fought beginning from the head down to cleaners, he said: “In the last five and half years, NAFDAC has destroyed N25billion worth of counterfeit products. We have reduced the fake anti-malaria drugs from 60 per cent in 2008 to 3.5 per cent in 2015 through vigorous anti corruption crusade.”
Also speaking at the workshop being held at Villa Toscana Hotel Enugu, the Deputy Director, Head Corruption, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (CMED) of the ICPC, Akeem Lawal, disclosed that ICPC has established over 400 anti-corruption units in MDAs to fight corruption because the war against corruption must start from within.