NAFDAC reduces proliferation of unregistered drugs in Jigawa
The Jigawa state office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says the proliferation of unregistered drugs has reduced drastically in the state.
The agency’s Coordinator in the state, AbdusSalam Lawan, stated this during an interview in Dutse on Monday.
Lawan said the reduction was a result of sustained routine inspection of medicine stores across the state, stating that the “proliferation of unregistered drugs reduced drastically in our pharmaceutical and patent medicine stores.
“The reason is because we sustained our routine inspection of such premises through unscheduled visits.’’ He said that the agency would continue to ensure that people consumed drugs sourced from genuine manufacturers.
The coordinator also warned the public against self-medication, saying that no one was supposed to take any drug without doctor’s advice.
“If we are talking about drugs, first and foremost, no one is supposed to take any drug, even paracetamol, without doctor’s prescription or advice.
“In other words, no one is expected to practise self-medication because it is wrong,” he said.
Lawan advised the people to visit the nearest hospital whenever they are sick, stressing that it is the responsibility of medical personnel to diagnose ailments affecting sick people.
“It is their responsibility to prescribe to you the drugs you’re supposed to take, including the dosage.
“Self-medication is roundly discouraged and unacceptable. This is because it leads to so much damage in our organs. In a nutshell, NAFDAC does not encourage self-medication,” the coordinator said.
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He further advised patients to ensure that they bought drugs duly registered with the agency to avoid consuming expired ones.
“Again, when you’re purchasing drugs especially outside hospital, ensure that the drugs are fully and duly registered with NAFDAC.
“Always check for the NAFDAC registration and date markings, such as batch number as well as the production and expiry dates. If all these are found to be in order, then buy and consume as they are safe for consumption,” Lawan added.
