The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has conducted a comprehensive mop-up operation across various markets in Maiduguri, Borno State, to remove drugs and food items contaminated by recent floods, aiming to prevent their re-introduction into sales and avert possible disease outbreaks.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, had ordered the immediate closure of some drug markets to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of compromised drugs after the recent flooding in Maiduguri, which submerged the Gomboru drug market, where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale.
According to a press statement signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the mop-up operations took place at the Gamboru drug and food market, Monday market, Open Air Theatre drug market, and the Gwange drug market.
The Director of NAFDAC in the Northeast, Kenneth Azikiwe, who led the operation, observed that the recent floods in the state posed a significant risk to public health by contaminating food and drug supplies. He added that the agency’s swift action in these markets was crucial to ensure that only safe and uncontaminated products are available to the public.
He noted that during the operation, officials drawn from Borno, Yobe, Gombe, and the NAFDAC area laboratory meticulously inspected and removed all compromised items (food and drugs) valued at over N5bn.
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Azikiwe stated that the agency provided guidelines to market vendors and the public on how to identify and handle potentially contaminated products in the future. He added that all manufacturing facilities engaged in the production of regulated products located within the flood-affected areas have been closed down to allow for Good Manufacturing Practices reassessment before production resumes.
“NAFDAC will continue with surveillance and monitoring to cover all parts of Maiduguri metropolis not covered in this operation. NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians by ensuring that all food and drug products meet the highest standards of safety and quality.
Through rigorous inspections, testing, and public education, NAFDAC works to protect the health and well-being of all Nigerians. The Agency urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or compromised products to the nearest NAFDAC office,” the statement added.
