The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria medicines valued at over N1.2 billion in Lagos State.
The fake medicines originated from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China and were falsely declared as spare parts in the shipping container.
“NAFDAC has intercepted 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs, valued at over N1.2 billion, in a warehouse located in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos State,” the agency stated.
According to the agency, a warehouse located in the Ilasa-Oshodi area was raided, leading to the discovery of 277 cartons of unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs. The products, which were illegally imported, had been concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg
NAFDAC issued a public alert on the circulation of counterfeit Artemether/Lumefantrine tablets under the brand name Aflotin 20/120 in Nigeria. The fake products were reported by the genuine manufacturer, Ajanta Pharma Limited, Mumbai, India, after discrepancies were discovered in packaging and artwork compared to the authentic product.
NAFDAC confirmed that the counterfeit Aflotin 20/120 does not match Ajanta’s approved packaging or overprinting style and is therefore falsified.
The genuine Aflotin 20/120 tablets combine Artemether 20mg and Lumefantrine 120mg and are used to treat uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
This alert forms part of a series of recent warnings by NAFDAC on substandard and falsified products, including Oxytocin injections, Postinor2, amongst others.
Prof. Adeyeye said the agency, with the full support of the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Health, it will intensify its operations to rid the country of harmful and substandard products.
In a continued effort to safeguard public health, Nigerian authorities have stepped up enforcement against counterfeit and expired medicines, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
In March, NAFDAC destroyed counterfeit and banned medicines estimated at N100 billion seized from Lagos’ Idumota Open Drug Market.
The operation, carried out at the Lapite Dumpsite in Ibadan, followed a three-week enforcement drive that saw the evacuation of 27 trucks of fake drugs, the sealing of over 3,000 shops, and the arrest of several suspects.
Last month, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) handed over expired pharmaceutical products valued at N3.77 billion to NAFDAC. The consignments, packed in three trucks, included Hyergra, Royal Tablets 225, Codine Syrup, Tramadol, and Amlodipine.
Customs described the handover as part of a memorandum of understanding with NAFDAC to stop harmful consignments from entering Nigerian markets.