Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, Delta State Commissioner of Health, has urged the public to exercise caution when purchasing medicines and to only patronize registered and licensed medicine shops.
He made this statement during a field monitoring exercise of the State Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food in Sapele.
The commissioner revealed that over 50 illegal medicine shops have been shut down in the state since the beginning of 2024.
Two individuals have been arrested, and products have been confiscated as evidence for further prosecution.
The exercise, led by Pharmacist Ese Ekueme, Chairman of the Delta State Task Force, aims to rid the state of illegal patent store owners.
The task force has sealed off several shops, including Arise Patent Medicine Stores, Goodnews Medicine and Cosmetics, and Choice Care Medical and Stores, for various offenses.
The public is advised to report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities to help combat the sale of counterfeit and fake drugs.
“The sale of counterfeit and substandard drugs poses significant health risks to the public. The Task Force has observed the alarming trend of drug combinations, often referred to as “mixes” being sold without prescription. Such practices can lead to overdosage, drug resistance, and the development of serious health complications, including stomach ulcers, liver, and kidney diseases” the Commissioner disclosed.
According to him, the then Military Government promulgated the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food Decree No 25 of 1999 to check the then ever-increasing cases of counterfeit, adulterated and spurious drugs, unauthorized drugs/medicines outlets and uncensored announcement/hawking of unorthodox medicines in the society.
According to Dr. Onojaeme, “the Task Force’s core mandate is to protect public health by addressing the proliferation of counterfeit and fake drugs, as well as unwholesome processed foods within the State with the key responsibilities to eradicate counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods, prevent medicine sales from unregistered outlets and to prohibit medicine hawking and the advertisement of unverified cures.
“In line with the provisions of the law, which empowered the Task Force to close down and confiscate premises and products from unauthorized outlets, two persons were arrested and some products confiscated as hard evidence were brought to the Asaba office of the Taskforce for further prosecution.”
The task force is comprised of representatives from the Nigeria Police Force; Nigeria Civil Defense Corps; Delta State Ministry of Health; Delta State Ministry of Justice; National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. (Tribune)