By Admin
The House of Representatives has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to ensure that its efforts to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard medicines do not unfairly impact legitimate traders.
In an urgent motion of Public importance sponsored by a member from Anambra State, Afam Victor Ogene, the House expressed concern over reports that NAFDAC officials sealed some medicine markets in Idumota, Lagos state, Ariaria, in Aba, Abia state, and Onitsha, in Anambra state, and denied traders, market leaders entry into the markets and carted away pharmaceuticals without allowing owners to witness the operation or take inventory.
Mr. Ogbene while commending NAFDAC’s efforts to rid the country of Counterfeit drugs noted that the agency’s recent actions in medicine markets in some states in Nigeria had caused significant disruptions to businesses and livelihoods.
According to the lawmaker this approach by NAFDAC makes accountability difficult and dents the integrity of the operation.
Adopting the the Motion the Green Chamber mandated its committee on NAFDAC to investigate these concerns, with a view to ensuring that the livelihoods of innocent vendors engaged in legitimate businesses in the affected markets are not unfairly impacted.
