National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has described illegal drug hawkers as merchants of death instead of health.
The director-general of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said this during a media sensitisation workshop for North East zone journalists on “Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide” in Bauchi.
She said hawked drugs are exposed to harsh atmospheric conditions which causes reaction of the chemicals used to produce the drug, hence making it unhealthy for human consumption.
The DG who was represented by the agency’s director of chemical evaluation and research, Dr Leonard Omokpariola, said the drug is designed to be prescribed to patients by experts under good conditions not illiterate unregulated hawkers.
Adeyeye said hawked drugs are sold and consumed in an unhygienic manner thereby causing damage to the health of unsuspecting members of the public.
She said continued patronage of drug hawkers by members of the public validate and sustain the practice, calling on all people to always buy drugs from registered pharmacies.
While commending the support of media to activities of the agency, the director-general said, “Medical support in the fight against drug abuse is crucial.
NAFDAC is succeeding because of the support of the media and other stakeholders.”
She said the workshop was organised to further synergise and sustain the existing collaboration with the media to overcome the challenges of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with Calcium Carbide which posed great dangers to the health of the nation.
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