ZUL-HAJJ 29 1430 A.H.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16 2009.
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NAFDAC overseas coalition against fake drugs
By Hussaini Tukur
aThe fight against fake drugs today is not longer the sole responsibility of governments in many countries and their anti-fake drugs agencies. It is today the prerogatives of citizens, stakeholders and members of the international community.
No country, however, powerful, resource endowed both human and material can succeed in the fight against the manufacturing, importation, distribution, sale and consumption of fake, adulterated and counterfeited drugs without the support, assistance and collaboration of the members of the international community.
Therefore the success recorded by the National Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over the years in the fight against fake drugs, unwholesome products and other processed food could be hard to sustain unless the countries sources of drugs from overseas are guaranteed.
For instance, Nigeria like any other developing countries sources of drugs are outside its own shores. The drugs are sourced from major drugs manufacturing from Europe or manufacturers of generic medicinal products from other developing countries such as Brazil, India, China and Egypt. Drugs from major manufacturers in Europe are guaranteed in terms of quality, but are prohibitive to majority people of the developing world classified as poor.
For this reason importers prefer to source their drugs from other wholesome and unwholesome sources. Drugs manufacturers in developing countries have in recent years served as alternative sources of affordable drugs for millions of people around the world.
The drugs though cheap, affordable and alternative to costly ones made by major and renowned manufacturers, they are not quality guaranteed. They could be out rightly fake, adulterated, counterfeited, substandard, and even poisonous and a national threat too for many countries, especially in a world that is fast becoming a global village.
This is because drugs manufacturers in developing countries produced mostly in a deregulated environment of sort, where quality control is either lacking, cosmetic or national drugs anti-faking agencies lacked the necessary wherewithal to bring all manufacturers in their respective countries under effective supervision and control.
Therefore ensuring that genuine and qualitative drugs are manufactured have always been major national challenges. This is due to the fact that the dollar in drugs manufacturing, importation and distribution has attracted people of dubious character, who are ready to get their dollar share no matter whose ox is gore. Their stock in trade is to camouflage either as manufacturers of fake drugs or connive with drugs fabricators to counterfeit, adulterate or produce fake drugs.
They also serve as importers of drugs. As importers too, they connive with unpatriotic manufacturers of generic drugs and inflict heavy damage on many unsuspecting people, who patronize the drugs as a result of over dependence on imported drugs.
The magnitude of the challenge by fake drugs manufacturers and importers is too enormous to be left in the hand of national anti fake drugs agencies such as NAFDAC in view of the international dimension of the business and the challenges it poses to many countries, particularly in Africa.
Majority of such characters have targeting developing nations such as Nigeria, for the fact that Nigeria alone source 80 percent of its drugs from India and China, leaving the remaining 20 percent from Europe and from domestic manufacturers. It was not surprising therefore that NAFDAC has in recent years being intercepting fake, adulterated, counterfeited and unwholesome drugs imported and destined for its markets.
Since assuming duties in January 2009, the Director-General of the National Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii main preoccupation have been to ensure n that a concerted effort is put in place to address the menace of fake drugs facing the nation. His initiative was based on the fact that unless the issue of fake drugs is address from overseas sources, the problem will continue to dampen domestic efforts and render them ineffective. This realization stemmed from his experience as a physician in the United States and a lawyer, who had engaged in pharmaceutical litigation and medical practices.
For instance, the prevalence of fake drugs in the nation’s drugs markets was put at 40 percent in 1999. It dropped to about 15 percent early last year. The great stride recorded in the last eight years appears to be on the reverse because of the threat from the importers of fake drugs. As Nigeria intercepted and destroyed fake drugs worth N22bn in the last eight years. This figure is too huge to be ignored. That is why Orhii’s effort to address the issues from overseas is highly commendable and will be paying off very soon.
Through a coalition of international anti fake drugs, the task of ensuring that only genuine drugs fabricated based on international standard will be reaching the nation’s shores. NAFDAC was able to convinced government to ban the importation of drugs into the country through land borders as the first steps towards checking fake drugs importation.
The measure has so far reduced the influx of the drugs into the country. Dubious importers in the past have taken advantage of our land entry points to import unwholesome drugs and other food products to wreck havoc in the country in search of the dollars in the drugs. Government designated two airports and two seaports as the only entry points for imported drugs into the country to thwart their nefarious businesses.
This has made it ease for stakeholders to ensure effective monitoring and reduce the temptation of powerfully connected international criminals in the drugs business from enjoying the hitherto booming illicit trade in the country. Only as recently as May 20, this year, the government initiative of designating drugs entry points yielded positive results, as NAFDAC officials seized fake anti- malaria drugs worth N32m which could have been consumed by more 8,000 people.
The seizure included 960 cartons of fake Maloxine and 296 cartons of Amalar, drugs patronized by many low income earners in the country because of the affordability and efficacy. The drugs were manufactured in China by a road side factory without the active and other necessary ingredients. They were fraudulently labeled as fabricated in India bearing the name of an Indian reputable drug manufacturer.
The agency also intercepted fake drugs worth N100m coming through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. Some of the intercepted drugs included Augmentin capsule, Ciprotab tablets, Ampiclox capsules, Erythrocin tablets, ventolin tablets, artesunate tablets among many others.
Similarly counterfeited intravenous drugs worth N24m were intercepted in Jigawa State smuggled to the State from Benin Republic. This huge interception of counterfeited products, besides the arrest of suspects is indicative of the extend drug barons are determined to continue their nefarious businesses.
As a result of this seizure and many others in a couple of months made NAFDAC Boss to take the bold initiative to begin a collaborative effort with India, China and other international agencies to prevent the importation of fake drugs. His visit to India recently yielded positive results.
NAFDAC and the Indian anti-fake drugs agency as well as the Indian ministry of Health have agreed to exchange constant information on genuine and fake drugs destined for Nigeria. And that India authority will also assist Nigeria with necessary information on its manufacturers when investigating the sources of fake drug or unwholesome food products from the country.
India will also ensure that genuine drugs manufactured based on international standard would be allowed exit permit to come to Nigeria. India has also allowed NAFDAC to establish overseas control points in the country for the verification and authentication of drugs intended for Nigerian markets. It would also assist Nigeria in promoting international standard in local drugs manufacturing.
China which is also a major supplier of generic drug to Nigeria has since followed the footsteps of the India. The Chinese government has promised to assist Nigeria’s fight against fake drugs and other related products emanating from china or those involving Chinese citizens. The Chinese government through a concerted effort with NAFDAC will provide advance information on drugs destined for Nigeria so as to prevent the importation of fake drugs.
To demonstrate their determination and commitment in assisting Nigeria, the Chinese government has arrested its citizens involved in the manufacturing of fake drugs already imported into the country. Their manufacturing outfits have been sealed and the suspects were being prosecuted on the Chinese laws which provide for maximum punishment of either death or life imprisonment.
India has similarly enacted a law prescribing death sentence for fake drugs manufacturers and distributors. This in fact coincided with the collaborative effort between Nigeria, India and China in the fight against fake drugs and their pushers. With this positive development, Nigerian major sources of drugs will be made more secured, thereby protecting Nigerians.
Nigeria’s efforts are also being recognized in building international coalition on anti fake drugs. It has created more confidence on the nation’s ability fake drugs manufacturing and distribution. Nigeria’s initiative was being carried through NAFDAC‘s activities at the International Medical Products Anti-counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT).
Only recently the Director-General of the agency was appointed the Vice-Chairman of the task force in recognition of Nigeria’s contribution to the international concerted fight against fake drugs and counterfeited medical equipment. With this achievement, international stakeholders are now coming to support of Nigeria in this regard more than ever before.
For instance the United States Food Administration and Drugs has pledged to assist the nation’s anti- drug faking with manpower training, capacity building as well as providing equipment and intelligence to assist fighting drugs counterfeiting and faking. Medical equipment manufacturers and international organization, especially those under the United Nations have also been lending their support to the countries efforts against the menace of fake drugs.
With the assistance of modern technology, the easy discovery of fake drugs will be the order of the day. NAFDAC deployment Remon spectroscopy is now assisting in this regard and in many others. Woods International and Ahure, two international non governmental organizations have deployed spectrometers that could instantly detect fake and counterfeited medicines.
Nigeria’s realization that the fight against fake drug can only successful with international coalition of stakeholders is recording a resounding success. First the major sources of Nigerian drugs- India and China- have been secured with the overwhelming support of their respective governments. It has also engendered international collaboration among stakeholders in facing the common enemy.
The attempt to galvanized international support is presently mobilizing domestic stakeholders to their civic responsibilities in the fight against the ménage drugs faking, distribution, sale, storage and consumption. It is hoped that in the near future fake drugs manufacturers will not have a hiding place in the face of NAFDAC international coalition against them and its domestic onslaught on their network.
Dr. Hussaini Tukur teaches at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and can be reached at hthassan2004@yahoo.com
