Abdullahi Chakwa The Zamfara State Government has intensified efforts to curb the sale and hawking of medicines illegally, describing the practice as a major threat to public health and efforts to improve healthcare delivery in the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nafisa Muhammad Maradun, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Gusau on the regulation and enforcement of laws governing the sale and distribution of medicines. Maradun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Rilwanu Musa Zurmi, said the government’s investments in healthcare infrastructure and manpower could be undermined if residents continued to patronise fake, substandard or improperly handled medicines. She said, “Our infrastructure has been developed, but the major challenge is that after all these investments in the health sector, a client may end up with fake medicine, and that is a great challenge in our state.” Iran kicks As Trump Says Hormuz Will Become US Territory After War Troops Kill 2 Terrorists, Intercept 180 Explosives in Zamfara The commissioner warned that indiscriminate drug hawking could expose residents to wrong dosages, inappropriate use of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure. According to her, the government’s strategy would combine tighter regulation of the pharmaceutical supply chain, public enlightenment and stronger enforcement against individuals and groups involved in illegal medicine sales. The Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the ministry, Pharmacist Mas’ud Isah, explained that existing laws and regulatory provisions prohibit the hawking and unauthorised distribution of medicines. He specifically highlighted the mandates of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant regulatory bodies, urging stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the laws. Isah also called for increased intelligence sharing among regulatory agencies, security forces, traditional institutions and market associations to identify and apprehend those involved in illegal medicine distribution. He said the objective was not to target legitimate pharmaceutical businesses but to protect residents from the dangers associated with fake, adulterated, expired and improperly stored medicines. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), NAFDAC, the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPMED), the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), religious and traditional institutions, as well as labour unions. The stakeholders pledged their support for the state government’s initiative, stressing the need for coordinated action to protect residents and strengthen compliance with regulations governing the handling and sale of medicines.
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