By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
As the festive season approaches, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has advised Nigerians to avoid consuming fake and adulterated drinks, which tend to proliferate during the Yuletide.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, gave the warning during her appearance at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja.
She emphasised that the rise of counterfeit drinks, food, and medicines poses serious health risks to the population.
Adeyeye highlighted the severe consequences of consuming fake products, which can lead to adverse health effects or even fatalities.
She specifically cautioned against patronising roadside drug stores and unregulated vendors.
“Do not buy medicines from corner stores, kiosks, or hawkers. Always purchase from a certified pharmacy,” she advised.
Acknowledging the economic challenges many Nigerians face, she urged citizens not to compromise their health by opting for cheaper, unregulated alternatives.It might be more costly to buy from a pharmacy, but it is safer.
Cheap, fake medicines or drinks can cause harm, affect health, or lead to death,” she stated.
The NAFDAC DG noted that the festive period often sees a spike in the circulation of falsified drinks, making vigilance particularly crucial.
“Drinks are among the most falsified products during festive seasons. We need to be extra careful,” she warned.
To ensure safety, Adeyeye advised Nigerians to always check for NAFDAC’s registration number and expiry date on products before purchasing them.
She stressed the importance of remaining alert and avoiding products that appear suspicious or lack proper labelling.
Also, NAFDAC warned bakeries across the country against using saccharin and bromate in bread production.It said bakeries caught in the act would face the full consequences.
This is where our post-marketing surveillance comes in. We go out routinely to look for certain products; sometimes it may be due to complaints through our reform office.“We have closed down a few bakeries because they are using bromate during bread production.“If we find out, or someone suspected or tasted the bread and it has bromate, we will shut down the bakery,” Adeyeye said.
The NAFDAC boss further warned that any factory with substandard production or operating in an unhygienic environment would equally be shut down.“We have equally closed down many water-producing factories as a result of substandard production or production in an unhygienic environment.
“Our Regulatory Inspection Directorate is important to us because it ensures that what is brought to us at the point of registration is what is still in the market When we inspect at the beginning, we go there and take samples and test the product.Sometimes after they know that the product has been registered, they start changing the process of production or formula.
“This is why post-marketing surveillance monitoring is very important. It ensures that what they brought to us is the same as what’s in the market to maintain standard,” she said.
