In a rare move at self cleansing ,the leadership of the Abia State Medicine Dealers, Eumi Plaza Aba, on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, handed over expired and counterfeit drugs worth over N100 million to the National Agency For Food, Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC for onward destruction.
The rare and unexpected action attracted praises, huge commendation from the regulatory body to the Medicine Dealers for summoning the will to embark on a self sanitization process.
Speaking while presenting the expired and fake drugs to the South East Zone of NAFDAC led by the Director, Martins Iluyomade, President of the Ecumi Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association ECPPMDA, Chima Amadi, said the fake and counterfeit drugs were voluntarily mopped up by the traders as a way of ensuring sanity within the drugs distribution chain in the country.
He maintained that the move is part of their collaborative efforts with the Abia State NAFDAC Authorities to combat all forms of sales and distributions of expired and adulterated medicine products in the state.
“When we relocated to this Ecumi Plaza from Ariaria International Market, we inaugurated an Internal Taskforce to carry out serious self- cleansing activities.
“The Taskforce is charged with, among other things, go round the market to enforce the decision of putting an end to any form of sales and distributions of expired and fake drugs within the precincts of the market.
“Majority of the dealers, in deference to our rules and regulations, willingly submitted the expired and fake drugs we are handing over today to NAFDAC.
“This will be a continuous process. We have resolved that within three month interval, the Taskforce will go round the market in search of expired and fake drugs.
“Therefore, henceforth, anybody caught dealing on expired and counterfeit drugs at this Ecumi market will be arrested and handed over to the appropriate authorities.
“We have decided to cleanse ourselves and as such, nobody and group of persons will be allowed to continue to smear the image of this market”, Amadi stated.
The South-east Director of NAFDAC who was accompanied by some zonal officials and the Abia State Coordinator, also, noted that such self-cleansing exercise will positively project the market and attract goodwill and attention from customers.
According to him, much as the regulatory agencies are in place, stakeholders in the system have crucial roles to play in the efforts to rid the system of fake and harmful products.
He appealed to the market leadership to sustain the efforts at eliminating all forms of dealings on unwholesome products, noting that a lot of human lives have been lost owing to the consumption of fake and expired drugs.
“I will enjoin you to continue to make the market a better place. You can do this by resolving that you only want to deal on original products at Ecumi market .
“Yes, people make more money through fake products, but such should not be your guiding principle. Your slogan is: ‘health is wealth’ and anything you do at this market should be in agreement with the motor.
“The first thing that should be on your mind while selling is how the drugs will assist the consumer to come out from his/her health challenges.
“We are having serious treatment failures in the country today because of the administration of counterfeit drugs. A lot of people die as a result of the consumption of fake drugs.
“Mind you, that money you made through the sales of fake products is blood money because a whole lot of people die as a result of the fake drugs.” Iluyomade noted
He charged the market Taskforce to discharge its duties without fear and or favour, as well as be guided in its operations by NADAC rules and regulations.
In his remarks, the Grand Patron of the market ,Chief Aloysius Enyoghasi, described the development as the first of its kind.
He appreciated the traders for their resolve to place the interests of consumers above profit making.
“When I discovered that the leadership of the market is collaborating with NAFDAC in their activities,I became proud of them .
“I am in full support of this move because it will restore the confidence of people and help save lives
“I am happy to see dealers willingly bringing out expired and fake drugs for NAFDAC to them away. It is a beautiful day for me as someone who has been in this business for over four decades”, the Grand patron stated.
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