To tackle the menace of fake drugs, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has reiterated calls for better funding of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies involved in pharmacy practice.
The calls came as the Association refuted claims that the incidence of drug faking in Nigeria had risen to 70 percent, noting that the initial submission of 70 percent was a mutilation of the documented figure of 17 percent.
Stating this position in a signed statement, Pharm Samuel Adekola and Pharm Bose Idowu, National Chairman and National Secretary of the ACPN respectively, debunked the claims as false and dangerous and tasked government to rise up to the situation.
“We strongly urge the Federal government to commence full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, NDDG, which now prescribes the replacement of Open Drug Markets with Co-ordinated Wholesale Centres in strategic cities like Idumota in Lagos State, Head-bridge Market, Onitsha in Anambra State, Sabongeri in Kano State and Ariaria in Abia State.
“We strongly enjoin the Federal Ministry of Health to engage the relevant State governments to fast-track the actualisation of the Co-ordinated Wholesale Centres,” they stated.
Explaining the mixup, the ACPN noted that even in the worst of times, the incidence of faking was documented as 33 percent in open markets in 1988 which rose to 49.6 percent according to a 1998 study.
“The most recognisable and acceptable studies in recent times puts the incidence of faking at 17 percent which is still high compared to global average of less than 2 percent. The initial submission of 70 percent was actually a mutilation of the documented figure of 17 percent.”
The duo lamented that despite all efforts, the contribution of the pharmaceutical industry to National GDP is still less than 2 percent because of poor patronage locally and internationally.
“At a time, the PMG-MAN continues to project and position Nigeria to become a West African hub for procurement of Made-in-Nigeria drugs, nothing can be more destructive than this unfounded rumour which continues to resurrect despite all efforts to put issues in the right perspective.”
The ACPN recognized that even at an incidence rate of 17 percent, it is still above global average, and expressd its commitment to collaborate with NAFDAC to further reduce the incidence to be commensurate with the global average.
The Association said it was sometime in November, 2016 that the Country Director of a notable Management firm erroneously circulated information that 70 percent of drugs in circulation in Nigeria were faked.
“This misrepresentation was quickly pointed out to the Country Director. The PSN, in well publicized articles, also refuted these claims in 2016 to instill confidence in consumers of health products in Nigeria.
“We put on record yet again the recurring challenges of value migration in our country. We request that sanctions be applied on those who deliberately peddle false information particularly when they are detrimental to national security and interest.”
