By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Taskforce on counterfeit and fake drugs has begun combing of markets to make the city free from fake drugs.
During the exercise at Nyanya, Old Karu, Gbagalape and Jikwoyi areas, chairman of the team and Director Pharmaceutical Services Department, Boniface Ikwu said raiding of the markets would stop people from selling drugs that are not approved.
He said the taskforce is established under the mandate of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with membership derived from Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), FCTA Pharmaceutical Services Department in Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), NAFDAC, Security Agency from the Police Force.
The Chairman who was represented by the Secretary of the team Oyetu Ogah, said the Taskforce was out to look out for members selling pharmaceutical products not approved and registered by NAFDAC as well as people selling products in unregistered and unlicensed premises within FCT.
He said the raid has a lot of impacts on the populace health wise because the Taskforce ensures that drugs that are substandard and not registered by NAFDAC are confiscated.
However, the Director, Zonal office of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, FCT zone, Peter Iliya stressed the need for Pharmaceutical Operators ( Pharmacy and Patent Medicine Stores) to follow due process to register their facilities and pay the relevant fees to avoid penalties.
The Taskforce during the exercise sealed some medicine stores that were not registered and had no license to operate and Certificate of Retention for Pharmaceutical premises has not been renewed were given a Complance Directive to be met within a specific time.
