In the bustling streets of Lagos, you can see the roadside hawkers wandering around with trays on their heads, the loose sweets, mints and packs of chewing gum mingled with loose blister packs of different drugs. Occasionally, you catch a glimpse of a sweaty and tired co-worker raising up their hands to attract the attention of the vendor, a few crumpled notes are exchanged and following a similar exchange with hawkers selling sweating chilled packets of 'pure water', they gulp down two or three tablets of medications in a bid to cure their varying ills.
This leads one to wonder at the possible effectiveness of such medications and what would make individuals buy medicines sold under such obviously sub-standard conditions. Like many of the problems encountered within the African nature, such population choices are simply a reflection of an underlying problem, a hidden Africa.
Counterfeit Medications
For populations to secure good standards of health, access to safe, affordable and quality medications is essential. Consequently, the sale and distribution of counterfeit medications within national drug markets is a significant problem for all countries of the world. It could be argued that persistently high levels of counterfeit medications within any drug market could be in part due to a continued demand for the products.
The Cost of Counterfeit Medications in Nigeria
Nigeria has over the past few decades suffered greatly from the influx of fake and counterfeit medications into its borders. In 1989,four children died following the ingestion of counterfeit chloroquine (an anti-malarial) medication. This was followed by the deaths of over 100 children who were administered a local brand of paracetamol. In 2003, three children died at a teaching hospital in the country due to the administration of fake medications in the course of supposedly life-saving surgery.
Consequently, it is acknowledged that there is an urgent need for the adoption of measures that will ensure that there is a drastic reduction in the levels of fake and counterfeit medications reaching the national drug market. The Nigerian drug regulatory body, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has been engaged in the fight for the past few decades. Under the leadership under the past Director-General of the Agency, Professor Dora Akunyuli, significant strides and advancements were made and were evidenced by significant reductions in counterfeit drug levels in national markets as well as those reaching the country from international markets.
The Way Forward
While the efforts of the government regulatory body are to be commended, it must also be recognized that like most public policy problems, there are often a multiplicity of contributory factors. Therefore, in a bid to ensure full resolution of such problems, government agencies and officials are well-advised to consider contextual social and economic factors which might have an effect on the choices and actions of patients in the need of medications in the country.
Olubunmi Aregbesola - I am a busy mother of three young children who is also working through a PhD in Health Care Management at the University of ...
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