By Ariwodola Idowu
Ado Ekiti – The Ekiti State Government on Tuesday set up a 10-man Task Force whose aim and objective is to eradicate further distribution of fake and expired drugs, as well as unwholesome food items in all parts of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the task force, headed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Olurotimi Ojo, comprises of representatives of health-related government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and security agencies.
Inaugurating the committee in Ado Ekiti, the health commissioner explained that it became imperative to set up the task force in order to effectively
curb further spread of counterfeit drugs and foods which he claimed were responsible for most premature and avoidable deaths in the state.
He highlighted the functions of the task-force to include confiscating any drug displayed for sale in premises not duly licenced or registered to handle such medicine.
The task force is also to ensure that processed foods displayed for sale are not only certified by appropriate authorities but also fit for human consumption.
It is also its duty to ensure that expired items of any kind are not displayed for sale.
Ojo illustrated counterfeit drugs to include any medicine that has been deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled in respect of identity
and source.
He added that it could apply to both branded and generic products.
According to him, wrong labelling of ingredients or fake packaging also amounts to counterfeiting.
He listed the effects of injecting fake drugs and foods to comprise antibiotic resistance, therapeutic failure as well as toxic effects
which often lead to death.
He advised law-abiding stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector and those who trade in food, beverages and related matters to go about their lawful business without fear of molestation, saying that only those indulged in criminality have cause to panic.
“This new move by government is never in any way meant to witch-hunt or pester law-abiding people in the state.
“It is targeted at putting an end to unlawful and criminal distribution of fake drugs and foods that may cause avoidable deaths,” he said.
Other members of the task-force are Mr Eniola Arogundade of the state’s Ministry of Justice, Mr Ebo Frank representing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mr Durojaye Bisi from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and Mr Aimola Kehinde from the
Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
The rest are the Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the state’s Ministry of Health, Mr Shola Shittu, while CSP Obiefe Okpaleye would represent the police.