Category: Health and Environment

 

By Biola Lawal
Kano (Flowerbudnews) NAFDAC Director General (DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has issued a stern warning to fake drug traffickers in the country, saying: We will find you! We will stop you! The full force of the law awaits you.”

(NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye)

Prof Adeyeye gave the warning as the Agency destroyed fake drugs etc worth about N985.3 million in Kano on Thursday.

Speaking during the destruction of the fake and wholesome products drawn from the North West Zone (NWZ), Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by NAFDAC NW Zonal Director, Mrs Josephine Dayilim declared:

(NAFDAC Director General’s Representative and North West Zonal Director, Mrs Josephine Dayilim fielding questions from newsmen at the event)

”To those who persist in trafficking fake and unwholesome products, hear this:
We will find you. We will stop you. The full force of the law awaits you.”

Flowerbudnews reports that the fake and unwholesome products destroyed by fire at the dump site in the outskirts of Kano included drugs such as antibiotics, antihypertensives, antimalarials, analgesics, herbal remedies, psychoactive and controlled substances etc.

Others included non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, condiments, tomato pastes, vegetable oil etc, were also burnt along with cosmetics such as creams, pomade, ointments etc.

Chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, agrochemicals etc, and medical devices- diagnostic kits and infusion giving sets were also destroyed.

“By destroying these items, we send a clear message: there is no place for counterfeit and unsafe products in Nigeria,” Prof. Adeyeye said.

Speaking for the Director General, Mrs Josephine Dayilim said ”removing Substandard and Falsified Medicines (SFs) from circulation will make Nigerians healthier.

“And since only a healthy body can contribute positively to the economy, it will make Nigerians wealthier and the economy better,” She emphasised.

Mrs Dayilim reiterated the Director General ‘s point that ”the chaotic drug distribution system in Nigeria has been a sore point for drug regulatory Agencies, especially NAFDAC.

“The handling and disposal of NAFDAC wastes, like today’s exercise, is in line with our strategy aimed at eradicating fake drugs and other spurious NAFDAC Regulated Products from circulation in Nigeria,” she added.

The NAFDAC Zonal Director said: “The products destroyed represent a grave threat to our communities.

”They are not mere substandard goods; they are potential instruments of harm that could devastate families and derail our nation’s progress.

“By destroying these items, we send a clear message: there is no place for counterfeit and unsafe products in Nigeria.”

She disclosed that ‘:NAFDAC efforts have extended beyond destruction, as the agency is working actively to strengthen its regulatory framework, enhancing surveillance and collaborating with local and international partners to stem the tide of dangerous goods at their source’:.

Echoing the Director General, Mrs Dayilim urged Nigerians to ”join the fight,’: adding : “Be vigilant consumers. Report suspicious products. Support legitimate businesses. Your actions can save lives.”

Also speaking during the exercise, the Kano State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Kasim Ibrahim, said that to sanitise drug distribution in Kano, the drug sellers have been moved from the chaotic open market to a Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC), located in Dangwauro.

This he stated, has helped NAFDAC to start recording successes in safeguarding the health of Nigerians.

Kabir Muhammad of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria said “SON stands in solidarity with NAFDAC, sharing a common mission: to uphold the highest standards of quality and safety in all products and services available to Nigerians.”

Also Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Dr. Murtala Umar, proposed stiffer punishments for offenders to deter others and mitigate the crime. (Flowerbudnews)

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About Flowerbudnews

Established by Hon.  Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Flowerbudnews is a consortium of active journalists, media veterans and image makers in both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry determined to enhance the practice of responsible journalism.

Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.

Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars.

Lawal holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency)

 

 

By Abubakar Gambo
Dutse (Flowerbudnews): The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has forged operational collaboration with the Nigeria police force in Jigawa State to enhance achievement of its mandate of protecting the health of Nigerians.

Flowerbudnews reports that the resolve to collaborate more effectively was one of the outcome of a recent visit by NAFDAC North West Zonal Director, Mrs. Josephine Dayilim to the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police in Dutse, CP
A.T AbduLLAHI

During the visit, Mrs. Dayilim said that the desire to forge operational synergy with sister agencies was one of the strategies directed for implementation by NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye.

The Zonal Director said that since Prof. Adeyeye came on board, the Agency has drastically improved its collaborative and operational interactions and efforts with all sister agencies, noting that this has helped to boost NAFDAC’s intelligence gathering, enforcement and surveillance operations.

Mrs. Dayilim said that her visit to the Jigawa State Police Boss was to solicit for enhanced collaboration and support for greater synergy to achieve our Agency’s mandate of safeguarding the health of Nigerians.

She noted that NAFDAC Enforcement operations often exposed the Agency’s operatives to high risks, including occasional threat to their lives, hence cooperation from police would enhance protective cover for them.

Mrs. Dayilim said that at the national level, NAFDAC DG, Prof. Adeyeye had been working hard to achieve a high level of synergy with all the relevant agencies through interaction with her counterparts, the Head of those organisations.

”It then behoves us at the Zonal and state levels to forge similar operational understanding and cooperation to ensure achievement of our DG’s goals of enhanced success against counterfeiters and other nefarious agents endangering life of Nigerians,” the NAFDAC Zonal Director stated.

Responding, CP A.T Abdullahi thanked Mrs. Dayilim for the visit, stressing that the police and NAFDAC are partners in progress working towards the same goal of protection of lives and property of Nigerians .

The Police Commissioner described the NAFDAC Zonal Director ‘s speech Director’s speech as very rich and enlightening and he has learned a lot from it.

In further appreciation, the CP requested for sensitization of his officers and men on NAFDAC activities by the Jigawa State Office.

The NAFDAC Zonal Director was accompanied on the visit by Mal. Ali Bulus Mshelia, the Deputy Director/State Coordinator, Jigawa State, Mr Abdulrahman Aliyu ACRO (Assistant Chief Regulatory officer) , Jigawa State, and Mr Paul Apollos, PRO (Principal Regulatory Officer), Kaduna State. (Flowerbudnews)

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About Flowerbudnews

Established by Hon.  Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Flowerbudnews is a consortium of active journalists, media veterans and image makers in both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry determined to enhance the practice of responsible journalism.

Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.

Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. As a Defence and War Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), He covered, live, several international wars including the deadly Rwandan War and Genocide and the Somalia Civil war.

Lawal holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to a high professionalism and decency)
 

 

 

By Biola Lawal
Flowerbudnews: The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has warned that the ban placed by the Federal Government on codeine syrup and alcohol in sachets were still in Force.

Prof. Adeyeye stated that the ban on the two products were imposed due to their confirmed dangers to public health and the nation’s youths who were found engaging in serious abuse of the regulated products.

The NAFDAC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) made the declaration in a statement made available to Flowerbudnews in which she responded to publications by some electronic and print media (Not Flowerbudnews ) claiming that the ban on the abused products had been lifted.

(Codeine Syrup)

”Codeine-containing syrup remain banned,” the NAFDAC Boss stated, adding: ”In fact, the Federal Government compensated the manufacturers of the syrup that did not abuse the distribution.’:

Prof. Adeyeye declared: ”NAFDAC has never discussed the removal of the ban. The statement in the News Media that another Minister removed the ban is INACCURATE and FALSE”.

She stated that the ban on sachet alcohol was effected only after a five-year moratorium granted the manufacturers to phase out the products had lapsed.

The moratorium was granted by the then Honourable Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole.

Prof. disclosed that there were discussions between NAFDAC and the House of Representatives over the issue of the ban on sachet alcohol, adding however, that the discussions were still ongoing and was scheduled to continue in July when the House return from recess.

The statement, personally signed by the NAFDAC Director-General read:

BAN ON SACHET ALCOHOL:RESPONDING TO PUBLICATIONS IN THE PUNCH AND VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS, AS WELL AS ARISE TV NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA June 19,2024

On February 1, 2024, NAFDAC started the enforcement of a ban on alcohol sold in sachet or in less than 200ml PET Bottle, after a five -year moratorium that the then Honourable Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole gave the manufacturers to phase out the two package types.

This moratorium document was signed in December 2018 by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) and the Association of Food Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) with Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

Soon after the enforcement of the ban, which came five years after all parties had signed the agreement on the moratorium, the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration advised that the Agency should suspend the ban.

It was made known at the time, however, that the Agency would have to await a decision by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on the matter since the Agency was essentially enforcing a ministerial document.

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Speaker of the House of Representatives called for a meeting with the Director General (NAFDAC) at the Speaker’s Office.

The Speaker was represented by the Chief of Staff, Prof Jake Dan-Azumi. Present at the meeting were the Chair of the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration, Honourable Mrs. Regina Akume, the Deputy Chair of the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration. Honourable Uche Okonkwo, Honourable Chinedu Ogah, and Honourable Philip Agbese.

Also present at the meeting was NAFDAC’s Director of FCT, Mr. Abdulsalam Ozigis. The Agency was again advised to suspend the ban, and I responded by saying that it is a Ministerial Directive, and that I had not received any directive by the Coordinating Minister to suspend the ban.

The Speaker’s representative at the meeting, Prof Dan-Azumi and the Committee Chair, Honourable Mrs. Akume then said that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare should write a memo to the Speaker and House Committee. Prof Dan-Azumi said that the discussion will continue in July after the House returns from recess.

Following the meeting, I reported the above outcome from the meeting to both the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate and the Coordinating Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

BAN ON CODEINE:
On May 1st, 2018, the then Minister of Health Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole placed a ban on codeine syrup because of a documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on poor distribution and abuse.

(Codeine Syrup)

Codeine-containing syrup remain banned since that time. In fact, the Federal Government compensated the manufacturers of the syrup that did not abuse the distribution.

NAFDAC has never discussed the removal of the ban. The statement in the News Media that another Minister removed the ban is INACCURATE and FALSE.

Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye PhD, FASDirector General/CEO NAFDAC (Flowerbudnews)

 

About Flowerbudnews

Established by Hon.  Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Flowerbudnews is a consortium of active journalists, media veterans and image makers in both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry determined to enhance the practice of responsible journalism.

Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.

Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars.

Lawal holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency)

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has called for proactive measures by stakeholders in the nation’s food supply chain to protect Nigerians against dangers of food hazards.

Prof Adeyeye disclosed that according to WHO estimates, about 420,000 people die yearly after consuming contaminated food.

The NAFDAC Director General made the disclosure and call at the 2024 World Food Safety Day with the theme ‘Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected’ ,a statement by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant disclosed on Tuesday.
.
She called on all stakeholders to take deliberate actions to institute a food safety culture in their operations to mitigate the food hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.

Prof Adeyeye urged operators in the food supply chain to ”take deliberate actions to institute a food safety culture in their operations to safeguard Nigerians against Foodborne illnesses.’:

World Food Safety Day was established in 2018 by the United Nations General Assembly after it was suggested by the Codex Alimentarius Commission as a way of raising food safety awareness and promoting collaboration across sectors.

According to WHO estimates, globally one in ten people become sick and 420,000 die each year after consuming contaminated food which attributed to the loss 33 million years of healthy life with children under five years and other vulnerable groups disproportionately affected in the poorer areas of the world.

The NAFDAC Boss also disclosed that In developing countries about $110b is lost every year on medical expenses due to unsafe food.

Prof. Adeyeye remarked that ”food safety is not only important for public health but a sine qua non for economic development and food security.’:

She emphasized that everybody has a role to play from the farm to the table to ensure that the food we consume is safe and will not cause damage to our health.

She added that for World Food Safety Day 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are asking all stakeholders along the food supply chain if they are prepared to address unexpected threats to food safety in an increasingly interconnected and interlinked global food supply. Prof Adeyeye noted that food safety is a collective responsibility,

(NAFDAC Director General Prof Moji Adeyeye)

Prof Adeyeye said that everyone from producers to consumers need to play their part to be sure that the food we eat is safe, adding that the campaign aims to promote global food safety awareness to strengthen efforts of preventing, detecting and managing foodborne risks globally by highlighting the importance of being prepared for food safety incidents.

Food safety incidents are situations where there is a potential or confirmed health risk associated with food consumption. A food incident can happen for example, due to accidents, inadequate controls, food fraud or natural events.

While being ready to manage food safety incidents requires dedicated efforts from policy makers food safety authorities, farmers, and food business operators, consumers can also play a very active role.

For example, according to the NAFDAC boss, the WHO World Food Safety Day 2024 communication toolkit suggests that governments commit to developing or updating national food safety emergency response plans.

They should also strengthen national food control systems, increase surveillance and coordination capacities and improve communication with food businesses and the public.

Consequently, She mentioned that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has developed programmes for the elimination, eradication, prevention and control of diseases.

They include the National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response which is useful for preparedness and rapid response to emerging and re-emerging foodborne diseases, She stated.

She however, noted that this year’s theme calls for all stakeholders from regulatory officers, experts, producers, to processors, distributors, retailers, restaurant outlets and consumers to consider if they are indeed prepared for the unexpected.

‘’Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’” as we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day.

Working together we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness and preparedness for the unexpected.

’’Speaking on ‘Developing a Food Safety Emergency Response Plan: Implementation of the National Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response’, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards, alerted that foodborne diseases are expensive, yet they are preventable.

She recalled that in recent years, the global community, as well as our national government, recognized the public health effect of foodborne diseases as capable of causing considerable burden of diseases and mortality.

The Director emphasized the significance food as a necessity for human life, stressing that it can also be a source of harm if not handled properly.

Mrs. Edwards stated that food safety emergency response must be anchored on a multisectoral, collaborative, integrated one-health approach across the Health, Agriculture, Environment sectors, the tiers of government including relevant external partners and non-governmental organizations.

The objective is to have a coordinated approach to investigating foodborne disease outbreaks and contributing knowledge and skills from the different sectors to achieve a robust and comprehensive investigation. She said that the mix of skills will bring to the fore the robustness of the investigation.

She added that the emergency response team may include epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, environmental health officers, and food safety control officers, amongst others.

‘’Let’s all play our part in promoting the culture of good hygiene practices in our homes, communities and food establishments.

Together we can ensure a safer and healthier food supply for everyone.’’ (Flowerbudnews)