Nigeria is the largest market for fake drugs in the third world

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, yesterday said that Nigeria has the largest market for counterfeit drugs in developing countries.

Orhii, who disclosed this in Abuja at the sensitization lecture for FCT corps members at the Kubwa NYSC Orientation Camp, said the country also has the highest purchasing power of such drugs.

He said to encourage local production of drugs, the agency has proposed to the Presidency N200 billion pharmaceutical intervention funds to assist local pharmaceutical companies.

He said the country being an oil producing nation and the most populated country in Africa Nigeria is prone to the usage of counterfeit drugs.

Earlier, FCT NYSC co-ordinator, Mr. Frank Ekpunobi, assured that the corps members especially those in NAFDAC community development group would take the campaign to various households in their primary places of assignment.

Daily Trust