A joint team from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Borno State Ministry of Health has raided warehouses in the Gamboru area of Maiduguri, seizing drugs worth millions of naira that were improperly stored and compromised by recent flooding.
The operation aimed to prevent the sale and distribution of these unsafe drugs, which could pose significant health risks.
NAFDAC’s North-East Director, Kenneth Azikiwe, stated that the agency was acting on orders from NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to evacuate and destroy the damaged drugs.
He warned the public to avoid purchasing drugs affected by the flood and urged residents to report any instances of people sun-drying or selling such compromised drugs.
“The Director General of NAFDAC Prof. Christianana Mojisola Adeyeye directed the evacuation of the damaged drugs and other regulated products to prevent a bigger and more dangerous public health emergency in the state from the market,” Azikiwe said.
While calling on the Public to remain on alart and report any one sun drying or selling drugs affected by the flood, the DG said NAFDAC remained committed to ensuring safe and good quality drugs nationwide.
Borno’s Health Commissioner, Baba Malam Gana, emphasised the need for proper storage of medicines and promised that the state government would work with relevant agencies to improve the situation at Gamboru market.
“The storage of medicine has to be done properly. I am very pleased to say the Executive Director of the Borno State Drugs and Medical Consumable Agency is standing right beside me and we are going to swing into action to ensure that this are will not be the same again. Drugs must be stored the way it should be stored,” Gana said.
He, however, assured affected business owners of compensation for their losses, with support from President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babagana Zulum.
“I want to confirm that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was here in Maiduguri and he has promised that he would do everything to make sure that people of Borno State do not suffer, and this will include people who have lost their businesses like people in this Gamboru drugs market, they will benefit from the assitance. The state government is going to do its own best to ensure that help has come to them,” he added.
The Chairman of the Gamboru Medicine Market, Bukar Modu, pledged cooperation with the authorities to ensure public safety and called for financial support to help rebuild the market.
“We are willing to cooperate will all directives from the state government. What is most important to us for now is the health of our people. We have sentitise the marketers here and made them understand that people’s live first. We however anticipate that the government will not leave us after this process, but give us necessary financial supports,” Modu said.
NAFDAC also reminded the public to inspect drugs for signs of contamination, such as wet packaging or mud stains, and to report suspicious activities.
NAFDAC’s actions are part of broader efforts to prevent a public health crisis following the recent floods in Borno State.
PUNCH
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