BY DONALD OJEBO
As part of measures to safeguard public health, the Delta State government has called on members of the public to exercise caution and patronize only registered and licensed medicine shops and also report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme made the call during one of the field monitoring exercises of the State Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food, in Sapele.
The Health Commissioner, represented by the Chairman of Delta State Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food, Ese Ekuemelo revealed that from its numerous inspections conducted so far in 2024 alone, over 50 illegal medicine shops had been closed down for business.
“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 overdose, drug resistance, and the development of serious health complications, including stomach ulcers, liver, and kidney diseases” the Commissioner disclosed.
The Commissioner said that 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”.
Onojaeme said the exercise is continuous to rid Delta of the activities of the illegal patent store owners.
Places visited and sealed off included Arise Patent Medicine Stores, Amukpe Road Sapele, Goodnews Medicine and Cosmetics Wholesale and Retail, Okere Market Road, Warri and Choice Care Medical and Stores (Patent), Ekwerhe Road, Agbarho for various offences.
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 State Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food is comprised of representatives from the following agencies: Nigeria Police Force; Nigeria Civil Defense Corps; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Justice; National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria.
