Date: 2016-12-02

The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday in Ilorin destroyed counterfeit medicines and other unwholesome products worth N30 million.

Speaking at the destruction site, the Acting Director General of the Agency, Mrs Yetunde Oni, said the periodic exercise was proof that NAFDAC was not relenting in efforts to remove unwholesome products from the markets and streets.

Oni, in a speech delivered by the Kwara Coordinator of the Agency, Mrs Roseline Ajayi, expressed optimism that the organisation would in the near future have nothing to destroy.

She said this was because the agency was working toward ensuring availability of good quality, efficacious, safe and affordable medicines and wholesome regulated products to the populace.

"This periodic exercise further gives credence to the fact that the NAFDAC is waging war against persons and organisations involved in counterfeiting regulated products.

"We will continue to work relentlessly to ensure that the incidence of counterfeit medicines is curtailed to the minimum level," Oni said. The NAFDAC boss noted that the destroyed products were voluntarily submitted to the agency by various governmental and non-governmental organisations.

In his speech, Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara commended the agency for safeguarding public health by ensuring that unwholesome products were eradicated from the society.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Dr Afolabi Adesola, asserted that the presence of mobile testing laboratory by NAFDAC would curb counterfeit medicines and products in the country.

The governor pledged the support of his government to the agency in efforts aimed at eradicating fake products.

NAN