From Chaos To Care: Revamped Kano Drug Market Changing Lives

In recent years, the Kano drug market has undergone a significant transformation, addressing the critical issue of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines. The prevalence of counterfeit drugs has long been a public health concern, endangering millions of lives and contributing to tragic fatalities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), counterfeit drugs are those deliberately mislabeled regarding their identity or source, often produced below standard quality or sold as substitutes for legitimate medications.

For years, Kano state was notorious for its chaotic market conditions, where fake and counterfeit drugs flourished. Investigations uncovered rampant smuggling and the sale of narcotics and banned products, placing the state among the top regions for drug abuse. However, recent efforts by stakeholders to regulate and clean up the drug market are yielding positive outcomes. This article explores the steps taken to transform the Kano drug landscape and the impact on public health and safety.

In 2013, the state government, in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), took significant steps to combat counterfeit drugs by destroying fake medicines worth N600 million that had been impounded from various outlets.

Fast forward to 2024, NAFDAC arraigned three suspects before the Federal High Court in Kano for manufacturing, distributing, and selling falsified medicines, including Asian Ampicillin 125mg + Cloxacillin 125mg/5ml powder for oral suspension for children, which contained zero active ingredients.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 280,000 children die annually in sub-Saharan Africa due to substandard medicines used to treat pneumonia and malaria. A study by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reveals that up to 500,000 people die each year from counterfeit drugs in the region. The same report indicates that there are approximately 267,000 deaths annually from substandard malaria drugs and around 169,000 deaths each year from fake antibiotics used to treat pneumonia in children.

To address these pressing issues and sanitize the drug distribution system in Nigeria, the Presidential Committee on Pharmaceutical Sector Reform (PCPSR) was established in 2003. Among its initiatives was the creation of Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWC) to improve regulatory oversight. Given its status as a commercial hub supplying drugs to northern states and neighboring countries, Kano was selected as a pilot location for the CWC, which was commissioned by the federal government.

Transitioning drug sellers to the new CWC proved challenging, leading to tensions between stakeholders, including NAFDAC and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN). Their refusal to relocate prompted these agencies to warn manufacturers, importers, and distributors to cease supplying pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other regulated products to any open market facilities, particularly in Niger Street, Sabon Gari Market, or elsewhere outside the CWC at Dangwauro.

The Kano CWC, named Kanawa Coordinated Warehouse Centre, is a multi-billion-naira facility developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement. With many traders now relocating to this site, positive testimonials have emerged regarding the enhanced drug distribution system and legitimate supply chain, contributing to a reduction in the prevalence of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines.

Kano state NAFDAC coordinator, Mr. Kasim Ibrahim, noted in an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend that within less than a year of the CWC’s operation, they have significantly curtailed the chaotic distribution of counterfeit and substandard drugs. He reported that from March to the present, NAFDAC has identified at least 35 products that were either completely fake or unregistered in the market.

“We recently paraded a suspect supplying more than nine completely fake products that had NAFDAC numbers. Laboratory analysis revealed these products contained zero active ingredients. The coordinated warehouse has enabled us to confirm and achieve much in this fight against substandard medicines,” he stated.

Mr. Ibrahim praised the initiative, emphasizing that the CWC’s restricted environment allows all regulatory agencies to effectively monitor the flow of goods in and out of the market, enhancing overall safety and accountability.

The director of Kanawa Pharmaceutical Partners Ltd at the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC), Alhaji Dahiru Matazu, explained that the state has long struggled with the issue of fake drugs. He noted that when the federal government introduced the initiative for a coordinated market, legitimate businesses welcomed it wholeheartedly.

Matazu emphasised that they conduct regular random sampling of both new and existing pharmaceutical products to ensure compliance with standards, which serves as a deterrent for those considering illegal trade.

When asked about the prevalence of fake drugs in the open market compared to the coordinated market, he stated that it has drastically reduced by 80 percent. He highlighted the presence of an experienced task force that monitors all activities in the center, both covertly and overtly.

“Kano used to be at the forefront of the fake drug issue. When the federal government introduced this initiative, we embraced it to support our legitimate business,” he said. “This has yielded great success; in our office, we have a large cache of seized fake ciprofloxacin tablets.”

He added that they have received approval to build a laboratory for the center, but for now, they have signed a memorandum of understanding with a federal government-approved lab in Kaduna. Any drugs that do not meet quality standards are sent for examination.

Matazu cited a recent case involving a company, Asia Pharmaceutical, which brought goods that, after lab examination, were found to be a suspension made with ordinary flour and containing zero active ingredients. Despite having a Lagos address, these products were actually produced in Niger State. He also mentioned that another tablet was discovered to have only seven (7) percent of the active ingredients it was supposed to contain, while a smuggled cough syrup from Sokoto was also seized.

“If not for the coordination, it would have been difficult to trace these drugs, and we know their consumption poses serious health risks,” he stated.

Regarding controlled substances, Matazu noted that they are no longer sold indiscriminately but under the supervision of qualified experts, such as pharmacists, except in urgent cases where prescriptions are provided. This has significantly helped reduce drug abuse, especially among youth, who now have less access to these substances.

Expressing gratitude for the booming business at the center, he mentioned that customers now come from as far as Chad, the Central African Republic, Niger, Ghana, Cameroon, and other neighboring countries to purchase drugs due to the guarantees offered in a coordinated environment.

Matazu urged fellow traders to remain committed to their legitimate businesses and to avoid buying or selling any form of substandard or falsified medicines, emphasizing that engaging in such practices can lead to prolonged illness, waste of resources, and a breach of trust between patients and healthcare providers.

Veterinary medicine trader Mohammed Adam further underscored the reduction in fake drug sales in the market, despite initial reluctance to relocate. He explained that in the open market, people would create and sell locally made drugs for birds without NAFDAC approval, but such practices are strictly prohibited at the CWC.

Another trader, who preferred to remain anonymous, mentioned that while they were initially resistant to moving due to the distance from town, compliance became necessary as the new location provided a sustainable livelihood. She reported that business is thriving, and the environment is conducive for operations.