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Despite regulatory strides in the early 2000s, particularly under the leadership of the late Dora Akunyili at NAFDAC, Igwekamma lamented a reversal in progress over the past five years. He attributed the resurgence of counterfeit drugs to the dormancy of the Federal and State Task Forces charged with monitoring the drug distribution chain, and the inadequate enforcement of existing laws.
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised fresh concerns about the existence of nearly five million unregistered drug-selling outfits across the country, warning that the unchecked proliferation of these vendors poses a severe threat to public health.
Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, the national chairman of ACPN, issued the warning in a press statement ahead of the association’s 44th Annual International Conference, scheduled to hold in Awka, Anambra State, from July 22 to 27. Themed “Technology Integration, Personalised Care: The Future of Community Pharmacy Practice,” the event will bring together over 3,000 delegates from across Nigeria and abroad to explore the future of pharmacy in an increasingly digital healthcare ecosystem.
According to Igwekamma, Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous resurgence in the circulation of fake and substandard medicines, driven in part by the operations of unregulated drug sellers in both urban centres and remote villages. These outfits, he said, operate largely outside the oversight of regulatory agencies and remain a major conduit for counterfeit drugs and unwholesome products.
He cited historical studies conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as far back as 1988, which found that a third of drugs in circulation were fake, 7% of which proved fatal. Further reviews in 1998 exposed that nearly 50% of fake drugs came from open drug markets, while 33% were traced to Patent Medicine Vendors. Fatalities from fake drugs reached 13%, with another 10.8% resulting in treatment failure.
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Despite regulatory strides in the early 2000s, particularly under the leadership of the late Dora Akunyili at NAFDAC, Igwekamma lamented a reversal in progress over the past five years. He attributed the resurgence of counterfeit drugs to the dormancy of the Federal and State Task Forces charged with monitoring the drug distribution chain, and the inadequate enforcement of existing laws.
