By Mudiaga Affe
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its determination to rid the country of the menace of falsified medical products, unwholesome food, and many other substandard products.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Mr. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated during the commencement of the agency’s sensitization campaign in Benin City, Edo State, lamented the preponderant share of the global problem of fake medical products and unwholesome food.
Represented by Umar Musa, the Director, Narcotics and Controlled Substances, Adeyeye said the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the problem with the challenges posed by substandard and falsified Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
She noted that the campaign would go a long way in addressing the growing public health challenges of the people.
Adeyeye said the key objective of the sensitization programme is to intensify and expand the scope of the agency’s communication strategies to reach the vulnerable communities, especially at the grassroots.
“Public awareness campaign is one of the veritable regulatory mechanisms put in place by NAFDAC to promote and protect the health of our people. A well-informed, sensitized and educated citizenry is the bedrock of effective regulation,” he said.
She said that the initiative was another major milestone in the agency’s bid to protect Nigerians against the deleterious effects of unwholesome food, falsified medical products, harmful cosmetics, poor water, and other substandard regulated products.
Adeyeye listed buying medicines from hawkers, abuse of codeine and self-medication, especially among youths, usage of kerosene tanker to load groundnut oil, the dangerous practice of using potassium bromate to bake bread as some of the public health challenges that would be addressed by the campaign themes.
“The campaign themes are multifaceted with clear, concise, informative, and educative messages aimed at arousing the awareness and consciousness of the general public about the various infractions that impact negatively on our healthcare delivery system,” she stressed.
