The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reopened the Onitsha drug market on March 6, following a sanitization operation that started on February 10.
Dr. Martin Iluyomade, Director of Enugu Zone Zonal Operations, introduced the reopening throughout a stakeholders’ assembly on Thursday.
The assembly included representatives from NAFDAC, Anambra State, and the Onitsha market management.
Other markets affected
In addition to the drug market, different affected markets included the Plumbing, Wood, Science Progressive, and Surgical markets.
Iluyomade clarified that the reopening was not supposed to penalize neighbouring markets, which had sadly grow to be main warehouse areas for medication merchants.
Iluyomade emphasised that the operation was primarily based on intensive intelligence gathering and that the closure was obligatory to stop confrontation with merchants.
“The discovery in the market was alarming,” he acknowledged, revealing that enormous portions of narcotics able to destabilizing any nation have been recovered.
“We found fake and counterfeit medicines in over 50 trailers, along with banned drugs dating back to 2007,” he added.
Conditions for reopening
While the market has been reopened, round 4,000 store house owners who have been profiled and suspended should individually go to NAFDAC to clear themselves earlier than resuming enterprise.
Iluyomade additionally highlighted poor storage situations inside the market, which compromised the standard of real medicines.
Government and merchants react
He expressed appreciation to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his assist and dedication to establishing a normal drug market with correct storage services.
Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwulota, Chairman of the Ogbo Ogwu Traders Association, thanked NAFDAC for reopening the market and pledged merchants’ cooperation in eliminating faux medicine.
Dr. Afam Obidike, Anambra’s Commissioner for Health, recommended each NAFDAC and the merchants for his or her collaboration and guaranteed continued efforts to keep up the sanitization of the system.
More Insights
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) just lately shut down the Ọgbọ Ọgwụ drug market in Onitsha as a part of its ongoing nationwide clampdown on faux and substandard medicines.
On February 10, NAFDAC commenced enforcement operations at three main drug distribution hubs: the Idumota open drug market in Lagos, the Ariaria drug market in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha.
According to the company, these markets account for over 80% of treatment distribution in Nigeria. The enforcement operations intention to get rid of falsified and unregistered medicine from circulation.
In Onitsha alone, NAFDAC seized no fewer than 30 vans crammed with confiscated medicine and shut down over 4,000 retailers.
Earlier, Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, additionally raised issues over the infiltration of counterfeit and banned medicine into the Nigerian market, calling for stronger regulatory motion on the federal stage.
Expressing concern over how such medicine enter the nation, he questioned the function of regulatory authorities at Nigeria’s borders.
“How these drugs, which have been banned globally and locally, are still being manufactured in India, pass through our various ports (sea and air), and find their way to our local drug markets remains a question only the relevant authorities can answer,” he added.
While supporting efforts to rid the market of pretend medicine, Soludo referred to as on the Federal Government to strengthen management over drug imports.
While we should rid our nation of pretend and counterfeit medicine, it will be significant for the Federal Government to tighten up the noose on the availability finish of the worth chain.
