The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, has strongly advocated for the implementation of stringent penalties, including the death penalty, for individuals involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit drugs. This call comes in response to the alarming rise in substandard and falsified medicines, which pose a significant threat to public health, especially to children.
Professor Adeyeye made this statement during a recent interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. She highlighted a specific case where a children's medicine, sold at significantly different prices within the same shopping center, was found to contain no active pharmaceutical ingredients upon laboratory testing. The Director-General argued that such actions are tantamount to murder, as these fake medications can have deadly consequences, particularly for vulnerable populations. "You don’t need to put a gun to a child’s head to kill them. Just give them bad medicine," she stated.
NAFDAC is actively seeking the collaboration of the judiciary and the National Assembly to enact these stricter penalties into law. The agency is open to working with lawmakers and other stakeholders to address the issue of drug counterfeiting comprehensively. Professor Adeyeye emphasized that the current penalties, such as a five-year prison sentence or a N250,000 fine for importing dangerous drugs like Tramadol, are insufficient to deter offenders. She stressed the need for a strong judicial system and more robust laws to effectively combat this crime.
The Director-General also acknowledged the challenges NAFDAC faces, including staff shortages and limited funding, which hinder the agency's ability to carry out its mandate effectively. NAFDAC is committed to strengthening its regulatory system to safeguard public health by ensuring access to quality regulated products. This includes utilizing technology to monitor the supply chain and prevent the infiltration of substandard and falsified medicines.