The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said that it seized and destroyed fake drugs and other regulated products worth over N500bn between 2009 and 2015 while revealing that at least 12 persons were prosecuted and convicted in the same period, bagging three-year jail term each.
The NAFDAC Director General, Dr. Paul Orhi, who disclosed this after a tour of the agency’s facilities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Agulu, Anambra State, said the achievement became possible because of the use of modern technology to detect fake products.
Orhi listed TRUSCAN, mobile authentication service and radio frequency identification as some of the modern technologies deployed in the fight against fake counterfeit drugs in the country.
He pointed out that the agency introduced technology-based measures such as TRUSCAN, Mobile Authentication Service and the Radio Frequency Identification to effectively fight fake drugs in the country.
Orhi expressed the agency’s commitment towards ensuring that the war against counterfeiting of drugs and other regulated products was completely won.
“We came into the agency and met a commendable level of work. Since we mounted the saddle, we have ensured remarkable improvement and sustenance of what we met. Our zeal is strong and gets stronger by the day. We are committed to ensuring that the war against counterfeiting of regulated products is fought and won completely,” he said.