The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has strongly criticized many drug hawkers in Nigeria, referring to them as purveyors of death.
She expressed deep concern over the menace of drug hawking, emphasizing that it poses a significant challenge to the healthcare system in the country. This concern underscores NAFDAC’s unwavering commitment to completely eliminate this illicit trade.
Prof. Adeyeye made these remarks on Monday during the opening of a one-day North Central Zone Media Sensitization Workshop on the Dangers of Drug Hawking and the Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide. The workshop was organized for the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHJ) in Lafia.
Represented by Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, the Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Prof. Adeyeye highlighted that “most of the drugs sold by illiterate and semi-literate drug hawkers are counterfeit, substandard, or expired, and consequently, they do not meet the quality, safety, and efficacy standards required for regulated medicines.”
She further emphasized that “many drug hawkers, whether knowingly or unknowingly, are merchants of death. They subject essential and life-saving medicines to the harsh effects of adverse weather conditions, causing the degradation of active ingredients, which can transform them into poisons, thereby endangering human lives.”
The Director-General also issued a warning against the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide, labeling it as “another public challenge” facing the country. NAFDAC has adopted a comprehensive approach to combat this issue.
Prof. Adeyeye cautioned that the consumption of fruits ripened with carbide can lead to severe health consequences, including “cancer, heart, kidney, and liver failure. It may also result in frequent thirst, irritation in the mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcers, and more.”
Furthermore, she pointed out that the agency has observed the illegal sale of bulk industrial food or ingredients that are not in retail packaging in markets. These items are openly displayed and sold without adequate precautions against contamination.
While assuring the public that the agency is addressing these unacceptable market practices, Prof. Adeyeye urged people to refrain from purchasing “dangerous non-retailed items from the market to avoid the risk of consuming contaminated, substandard, expired, or adulterated food, which can have severe health implications.”
Hassan Zaggi, the President of ANHJ, commended NAFDAC for organizing the workshop and urged journalists to take the lead in raising awareness among Nigerians about activities that threaten their health.
The workshop included presentations on various topics, including the “Dangers of Artificially Ripened Fruits with Calcium Carbide,” “The Menace of Drug Hawking in Nigeria,” “Good Distribution Practices and Surveillance Activities for Preventing and Combating Substandard and Falsified Medicines in Nigeria,” and the “Influence of Mass Media Campaigns on Health Behavioral Change.”
