— NAFDAC affirms Ondo State free from counterfeit drugs

By Fatima Muraina & Kemi Olatunde

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In a bid to strengthen drug safety and crack down on illegal pharmaceutical practices, the Ondo State Government is set to introduce Truscan, a fake drug detector machine, while intensifying efforts to seal unregistered pharmacies and chemist shops across the state.

The Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Pharm. Olugbenga Lasekan, confirmed the development to Weekend Hope, stating that the government would no longer rely solely on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to check fake drugs.

According to him, Truscan will allow instant verification of drug authenticity, reviving a practice that had previously helped to identify counterfeit medicines in the state.

“Some years back, we tested a batch of Augmentin with the Truscan machine, and it failed the test. We sent the sample to the manufacturer, and they replaced it with the original version,” Lasekan revealed.

Speaking on the ineffectiveness of some drugs, he attributed the problem to factors such as wrong diagnoses, poor storage conditions, and counterfeit drugs, stressing that the introduction of Truscan would help eliminate fake medicines from circulation.

Beyond ensuring drug authenticity, the state has also intensified its clampdown on illegal pharmaceutical businesses.

Lasekan explained that while some pharmacies had been sealed, the closures were not necessarily due to the sale of fake drugs but rather for operating without proper registration.

“Most of those shut down are pharmacies and chemists that failed to register with the appropriate regulatory bodies. They were not closed down solely for selling fake drugs. Patent medicine stores are also not permitted to sell controlled drugs, and when they do, we seal them and confiscate the drugs,” he said.

The Task Force against Fake and Counterfeit Drugs, comprising officials from the NDLEA, NAFDAC, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and the state Ministry of Health, has been actively monitoring and shutting down illegal pharmaceutical outlets to ensure compliance with health regulations.

Despite the state’s proactive measures, NAFDAC has maintained that Ondo is relatively safe from the production and sale of counterfeit drugs.

The agency’s State Coordinator, Mr. Joseph Edor, stated that Ondo has only two drug manufacturing companies, both of which are under strict monitoring, and there is no evidence of fake drug production within the state.

“Relatively, we don’t have a high casualty rate. I have not seen any locations where fake drugs are being manufactured, nor have I seen places where they are being sold,” Edor stated.

He also dismissed concerns about counterfeit consumables, stating that such illegal activities were minimal in the state.

“If you have any information, let us know. I have not come across any locations where fake drinks or consumables are being produced in Ondo State,” he said.

Edor explained that large-scale counterfeiting often requires sophisticated facilities, which are lacking in the state. He, however, urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected counterfeit drug activities to NAFDAC.

“As far as Ondo State is concerned, most industrial activities here involve agricultural processing. Therefore, the issue of fake drug manufacturing or sales is minimal.

“To counterfeit drugs, one must have the necessary facilities. Those who engage in counterfeiting are often skilled manufacturers who, perhaps due to a lack of reputation, prefer to exploit the goodwill of reputable companies by faking their products,” Edor said.

Regarding a recent incident in Onitsha, Edor highlighted that legitimate manufacturing companies use sophisticated machinery to produce and label their products, making counterfeit items increasingly difficult to distinguish.

“Most industrial activities in Ondo State focus on agricultural processing. As a result, the production of fake drugs or consumables is not widespread here,” he added.

The Ondo State Government, through the newly established Ondo State Drug and Health Commodities Management Agency (ODHCMA), remains committed to ensuring access to quality, affordable medicines while tightening regulatory enforcement against illegal pharmaceutical practices.