By Ogbitse Meyiwa
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) uncovered another trove of counterfeit medicine during a raid at Tyre Village, Trade Fair Complex, in Lagos State.
It is the paramount duty of individuals to be vigilant about what they consume, as the prevalence of counterfeit drugs is rampant in many nations. Individuals driven by the urge to make quick money, even at the expense of public health, are putting innocent lives at risk.
People often visit hospitals or pharmacies seeking medication to alleviate their illnesses or pain, unaware that the drugs they are purchasing may be counterfeit. Instead of aiding recovery, these fake drugs often cause severe harm to the body. Patients end up paying for what they believe will heal them, only to put their health in greater jeopardy.
It is advisable to thoroughly inspect any medication before consumption. Statistics show that between November 2008 and February 2009, 84 Nigerian children died from acute kidney failure caused by the industrial solvent diethylene glycol, which was present in contaminated teething syrup (Akuse et al., 2012). Tragically, incidents like these continue, putting more innocent lives at risk.
NAFDAC’s raid led to the seizure of fake pharmaceuticals, including Amoxicillin 500mg, Ampicloxa capsules 500mg, and packaging materials for Augmentin capsules 625mg.
The facility producing these counterfeit drugs has been shut down, and all fake drugs have been confiscated. The seized drugs were valued at over $300 million. These counterfeit medicines pose severe health risks, including treatment failure, organ damage, and potential carcinogenic effects due to unknown ingredients.
All suspects have been invited for thorough questioning, and investigations are ongoing.
NAFDAC continues to seek public support in the fight against counterfeit medicines. The agency encourages the public to report suspicious products and activities. As the saying goes, “If you see something, say something.”