West African countries officially shun Nigerian made drugs

– Senate Committee on Health held a public hearing at the National Assembly

– The public hearing was led by Senator Lanre Tejuoso, Chairman of the Committee on Health

– The public hearing was to amend an Act to Amend the counterfeit and fake drugs and ‎unwholesome processed foods.

Senator Lanre Tejuoso

Countries in the West African countries like Ghana, Sierra Leone and others on Friday, June 3, officially shunned Nigerian made drugs.

The Chairman of the Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso disclosed at one day public hearing on An Act to Amend the counterfeit and fake drugs and ‎unwholesome processed foods.

He said that economic loss as a result of drug-counterfeiting is enormous and appear to be increasing annually.

He also noted that according to the World Health Organisation(WHO), about 32 billion dollars were lost to drug counterfeiting business 2004.

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Tejuoso said, “Economic loss as a result of drug-counterfeiting is enormous and appears to be increasing annually. According to the WHO, about 32 billion US dollars were lost to drug counterfeiting business 2004 (WHO, 2006). This increase to 40 billion US dollars in 2006 and has kept increasing. 

“Many pharmaceutical companies are deprived of their right‎ful profit due to the unjust competition from this brutal crime and have even resulted in the collapse of some of the companies.

“Made in Nigeria drugs were officially unaccepted in other West African countries like Ghana, Sierra Leone etc. The mandate of NAFDAC is to regulate and control importation, exportation, manufacture, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water and chemical.

Declaring the public ‎hearing open, the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki represented by Senator Dino Melaye said when the bill is passed into law, individuals that are convicted for non-compliance shall face stiff fines of up to two million naira, and jail term life imprisonment.

READ ALSO: Senate expresses worry over drug abuse in Nigeria

He added that anybody convicted of fake drugs all properties and assets of individual.

Earlier this year, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that Nigeria will commence the production of locally produced drugs.

He said this through his special assistant on media and publicity while addressing pharmaceutical companies in the country in Abuja.

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