The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned patent medicine dealers in Ebonyi State against the sale and distribution of fake, substandard and unregistered medicines, citing the risks they pose to public health.
The agency urged members of the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPMED) to strengthen their vigilance and ensure that unsafe medicines do not find their way into the hands of consumers.
The NAFDAC Coordinator in Ebonyi, Emeka Orajaka, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abakaliki during an awareness and sensitisation meeting with patent medicine dealers in the state.
Orajaka said the engagement was organised to educate the dealers on how to identify, prevent and report the circulation of falsified and substandard medicines.
He expressed concern over the presence of fake medicines in the market, explaining that falsified products are deliberately manufactured or packaged to resemble genuine medicines from legitimate pharmaceutical companies, making them difficult for unsuspecting consumers to identify.
The coordinator advised dealers to purchase medicines only from authorised suppliers, conduct regular stock inspections and promptly report suspicious products or individuals to NAFDAC, the police or their association’s leadership.
He also introduced the agency’s online verification platform, registration.nafdac.gov.ng, and encouraged members to download the NAFDAC Greenbook application to check the registration status and authenticity of medicines before purchasing or selling them.
Orajaka further urged the dealers to cooperate with NAFDAC enforcement officials and surrender suspected substandard products discovered during inspections.
He emphasised that the fight against counterfeit medicines required collective responsibility from regulatory agencies, medicine dealers and members of the public.
In his response, the Ebonyi State President of NAPMED, Jerry Ikporu, described the sensitisation exercise as timely and beneficial to members.
The agency reiterated the importance of cooperation among stakeholders in protecting consumers and preventing the circulation of dangerous medicines.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
