The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over the disappointing demand for locally produced medical syringes in the country, following the discovery of over 1.5 billion unsold units of the product in one local factory alone.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, lamented that the situation is even more concerning given that the quality of facilities in Nigeria’s local pharmaceutical companies is on par with those in the United States or any European country.
Adeyeye has, however, tasked the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) with the job of curbing the trend of importation of syringes as part of their responsibilities.
In a statement by the agency’s resident media consultant, Sayo Akintola, Adeyeye emphasised the necessity for ANLCA to prioritize the nation’s interests over personal gains in their roles as clearing agents at the nation’s ports.
The DG expressed her concern in Lagos on Thursday during a familiarization visit by the newly inaugurated executives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), led by its National President, Mr. Emenike Nwokochi, to the NAFDAC Lagos corporate office.
The statement reads in part: “She said that the standard of the facilities she met on ground was comparable to whatever facility that could be found in the US or any country in Europe, adding that after the facility tour and being led into the warehouse, she was highly disturbed at the sight of huge unsold products.
“The NAFDAC DG told her guests that over 1.5 billion units of the product were lying untouched in the warehouse due to low sales, exacerbated by the influx of imported syringes into the country, despite the high import duty slammed on the product to protect the local market.
“Prof. Adeyeye however, noted with regrets that intelligence reports reaching her indicated that some compromises are being made at the port of entry in allowing illegal importation of unregistered containers of syringes into the country.
“She revealed that a publication by USFDA stated that some syringes that come from Southeast Asia are of bad quality, adding that those products didn’t fly by night and land in different warehouses in Nigeria: rather, they entered the country through individuals.”
While expressing empathy towards manufacturers, Adeyeye said: “I understand the challenges of not making sales, especially after investing a significant amount of money. That’s why I am particularly meticulous when it comes to overseeing our export processes.”
Speaking in the same vein, the National President of ANLCA, Emenike Nwokochi said: ‘’It’s shameful that when you buy yam abroad they tell you it is from Ghana, or any other country in West Africa when Nigeria is the highest producer of yam.
“As the Naira continues to fall to the dollar, we can’t do anything to help the Naira other than to increase the level of exports in the country to provide alternative source of raising foreign exchange.’’
He, however, pledged his association’s resolve to work in collaboration with the Agency to achieve the common goal of developing the nation’s economy.
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