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In its bid to sanitize the sale of herbal medicines by ensuring that only registered (listed) and authorized herbal drugs are sold, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided some outlets and sales vehicles, seizing large quantities of unregistered herbal medicines in Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State coordinator of NAFDAC, Mrs. Mercy Ndukwe said that some unregistered bread producers, as well as those producing with expired licenses and labeling lapses, were also arrested and three of their vehicles impounded while distributing bread during the early morning raid.
Ndukwe lamented the manner some stores in Port Harcourt metropolis store and sell drugs without NAFDAC registration number, warning that NAFDAC will confiscate any packaged unregistered herbal drug and sanction the dealer.
She advised the public against patronizing unregistered herbal preparations’ and those with spurious claims that are not verifiable to avoid endangering their health.
The state Coordinator also frowned at the negative attitude of the public towards NAFDAC officials, referring to a situation where NAFDAC officials were almost-mobbed by hoodlums at the Mile 3 market during the operation.
More than 15 cartons of different unregistered herbal preparations were confiscated during the raid while one person was arrested. The State coordinator said that owners of stores where unregistered herbal drugs were found will be sanctioned in line with NAFDAC regulations.
Ndukwe urge producers of NAFDAC regulated products to always seek relevant information from the agency before producing so that they will be guided through the registration process.
She said that “the agency has slashed registration cost to almost halve for Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) while ,product registration is now easier and faster in line with the federal government ease of doing business mantra”, wondering why some producers still: indulge in dubious and unwholesome practices. ‘
The operation covered Mile 1 and 3 Markets, Ikwerre Road, Orazi Road and Mile 4 Market Junction within Port Harcourt metropolis.
