The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigeria against patronising drug hawkers.
It described many of them as merchants of death.
NAFDAC also warned Nigerians about the dangers that ripening of fruits with carbide poses to their health.
NAFDAC gave the warnings at the weekend during a training with the theme: Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits With Carbide, it organised in collaboration with the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The agency’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, explained that the programme was organised to spur Nigerians to take stringent regulatory actions to stop drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide.
Represented by the agency’s Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr. Partick Omokpariola, the NAFDAC boss noted that drug hawking poses serious challenge to healthcare delivery system.
She said this underscored NAFDAC’s resolute determination to eradicate the illicit practices.
“Many drug hawkers are, knowingly or unknowingly, merchants of death who expose essential and life-saving medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicines and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.
“Most of the drugs sold by the illiterate and semi-literate drug hawkers are counterfeits, substandard or expired and, therefore, do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines.
“Prescription drugs are also sold by the itinerant drug hawkers who also hold consultation, recommend and prescribe medicines to their gullible ‘patients’.
“Drug hawkers are also the major distributors and suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks, such as armed bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers. Drug hawkers constitute a serious threat to our national security.
“Drugs are sensitive life-saving commodities which should not be sold on the streets/motor parks or open markets, just like any other article of trade.
“I wish to warn that any drug hawker arrested by NAFDAC will be prosecuted, will face a jail term. Our enforcement officers are currently carrying out synchronised nationwide operation.
“No offender will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law. In this regard, we solicit the co-operation and support of all other law enforcement agencies, Nigerian journalists and well-meaning Nigerians in riding the country of this harmful and shameful practice,” Prof. Adeyeye said.
In a lecture, titled: Menace of Drug Hawking, NAFDAC’s Director of Pharmacy, Dr. Francis Ononiwu, noted that continued patronage of street drug vendors should be discouraged to avert further damage to the people’s health.
Ononiwu said the solution to the problems is for Nigerians to buy their drugs from registered pharmaceuticals while consumers should read the expiry date of any product they want to buy.
The director said this ensures safety and quality, which would guarantee a better performing healthy nation.
