NAFDAC regulates and controls the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, packaged water, chemicals, and detergents.
On October 5, the World Health Organization issued a global alert regarding four cough syrups made in India that were linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.
Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup are the four products.
The global health body alerted that “the stated manufacturer of these products is Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited (Haryana, India). To date, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to the WHO on the safety and quality of these products.
Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, told The PUNCH that the products had not been registered by NAFDAC and thus should not be in circulation.
“We are alerting members of the public that if they come across it in the market, it is not approved by NAFDAC and people should avoid it.
Akintola responded when asked if the agency would raid drug markets to ensure that the products were not in circulation, saying, “Our pharmacovigilance directorate goes into the market as detectives to ensure that no product that is not approved by NAFDAC is in circulation. That is why we are warning that a certain number of drugs have not been approved by NAFDAC and Nigerians should avoid them.”
Also, an alert notice to health care providers and the public issued by the agency and made available to our correspondent stated that all batches of the products should be considered unsafe.
It partly read, “The substandard products in this alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death.
“NAFDAC implores importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of substandard cough syrups. All medical products must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.”
