Taking a holistic look at pharmaceutical drugs, its use is critical for the health and well-being of individuals. Their access and consumption can however be likened to a double-edged sword: they alleviate the manifestation of disease in an ailing person and on the other hand, if consumed wrongly without the prescription of a physician, can be injurious to one’s health system.
It is no longer news that pharmaceutical products, genuine and counterfeit are openly sold and marketed in the streets, markets, private and public places and un-licensed outlets across in Nigeria. What is rather worrisome is how those involved in the trade have been able to so successfully sustain it under the noses of relevant government agencies including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in major cities in the country.
In Lagos as indeed it is in some parts of the country, drugs are openly marketed and sold in streets, public places, commercial buses by unqualified personnel who see this as a lucrative business. Findings show that majority of those involved in the trade are people out of employment. A recent visit to Obalende, Ijora, CMS, bus stops in Lagos reveal that these medicine dealers in a bid to market these drugs claims they are potent enough to cure every ailment.
This business has been on-going for a while without the relevant agency saddled with prohibiting the public sale of drug from apprehending and prosecuting such individuals.
In a chat with Bose Adebiyi, a commuter plying Obalende-Oshodi route, she stated that had purchased drugs at different occasion from bus stops without thinking of the dangers associated with consuming the drugs. She noted that due to the cost of purchasing drugs from pharmaceutical shops, people are left with no option than to purchase such drugs at a cheaper rate without having to bother about the efficacy of the drug.
Benedict Okonkwo, a pharmacist who spoke with BusinessDay, noted that ignorance of some Nigerians has contributed in making people purchase drugs from unqualified personnel. Okonkwo noted that lack of adequate medical facilities in most areas has led people to look for alternatives.
According to the pharmacist, “the society is now overwhelmed by greediness and avarice. Nobody cares about the consequence unwholesome practice provided in a bid to make quick and cheap money out of the sale of drugs. People should be enlightened on the dangers of purchasing medications and drugs from drug hawkers.”
It is noteworthy to state that The Counterfeit and Fake drugs Act, Cap 73 of 1990 prohibits the production, importation, manufacture, sale and distribution of any counterfeit, adulterated, banned or fake drugs. Specifically, Act 25 of 1999 prohibits the sales of drugs in an unauthorized place including the open drug markets.
In the same vein, the Food and Drugs Act Cap 150 of 1990, among other provisions, prohibits practices such as misleading packaging, labeling and advertising, as well as manufacturing food and drugs in unsanitary conditions. These laws were made in recognition of the citizens’ right to good health and access to genuine medicines that are safe, effective and affordable. Unfortunately and for many years, some members of the public (Nigerians and non-Nigerians) in the name of business have treated these laws with reckless abandon and have continued to endanger the lives of many Nigerians.
No doubt, it is the duty of government, professional bodies and all members of the society to ensure that people are saved from untimely deaths and trauma inflicted on them by drug hawkers. More importantly, existing laws regarding the sale of drugs if enforced would check the activities of persons not authorised to be in the business of selling drugs.
Paul Orhii, Director General, NAFDAC, in an interview with BusinessDay noted that “the Agency is currently working with many stakeholders, including states like Kano and many Local Government councils across the country, Association of Patent Medicine Dealers and the general public with a few to proving the useful information which would lead to arrest of such dealers.”
For Okonkwo “Regulatory agencies like NAFDAC should redouble their efforts in supervision and ensure strict penalties for non-compliers. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the states ministries of health should ensure that only qualified personnel are licensed to operate pharmacy shops. In addition, the government should provide more health centres especially in the rural areas and adequately manned by trained personnel so that people will have easy access to consultation and treatment. Also, health centres should have essential drugs so that patients can purchase their drugs from hospital pharmacy instead of chemist’s shops.”
Alexander Chiejina
No comments:
Post a Comment