Sodiq Ojuroungbe
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says it has started a nationwide mop-up of unregistered herbal medicines.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a news conference held in Abuja on Monday.
She explained that the action followed a recent discovery of the sale of uncertified, unregistered herbal medicines by Dr. Salisu Sani Nawagini, popularly known as Baban Aisha, and others.
Recall that NAFDAC had on Wednesday, June 14, raided and sealed the production factory of Baban Aisha at Tarf, on Abuja-Kaduna road.
NAFDAC revealed that a lot of items, including production equipment and raw materials were seized at the production factory where a woman who stood in for him Dr. Nawagini was arrested.
This, Prof. Adeyeye, said, made the agency embark on a nationwide crackdown on herbal medicines, especially those not registered with the agency.
The NAFDAC DG, recalled that Baban Aisha had in 2018, received an application from Sacra Multi-Links Limited for the registration of Sacra Herb oral liquid for the treatment of pile and associated pains.
She, however, said the registration approval for the product expired on September 12, 2019, which made Baban Aisha to apply for renewal on August 12, 2020, following a regulatory audit of the company’s production facility.
Prof. Adeyeye further said that after this, compliance directives were issued to him for non-conformity observed in his facility at the time of the visit, and which were yet to be addressed.
She said aside from the non-conformity, the herbal company registration licence was not renewed, adding that the agency did not also receive any application for the advertisement of the medicine.
The NAFDAC DG noted that instead of renewing the registration of the product, the company went on to convince Nigerians that its medicine can as well treat ulcers, waist pains, typhoid, and toilet infection, among others.
Prof. Adeyeye said revealed that social media outbursts on the nefarious activities of Sacra Multi Links prompted the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to carry out surveillance and enforcement, which led to the sealing of the factory.
The NAFDAC DG appealed to Nigerians, especially the vulnerable groups, against using dangerous herbal preparations, this was even as she reiterated NAFDAC’s determination to ensure that only safe and efficacious medicines, wholesome foods and quality regulated products are sold and used by Nigerians.
She went on to solicit the support of health practitioners, community and religious leaders, the press and other
stakeholders to continue to educate their wards and family members against patronising quacks and
hawkers of medicine on the streets.
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