If there is any area where technological breakthrough has equally recorded very dangerous negative impacts on the citizenry, it is in the area of fake and or adulterated drugs. Just as technology has considerably enhanced the invention, production and application of diverse drugs to cure certain ailments across the globe.
Fake or adulterated drugs are produced and sold by unscrupulous individuals in concert with their local collaborators to produce mass fake drugs and dispense same across the world, particularly, the developing countries.
Scores of lives have been lost as a result of consumption of fake, adulterated or counterfeit drugs while many have been paralyzed or subjected to allergic reactions due to its consumption.
Counterfeiting occurs throughout the world, although, there are claims that it is more common some developing countries without regulatory or enforcement regimes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than ten percent of drugs worldwide are counterfeit, and in some countries, more than fifty percent of the drug supply is counterfeit.
Counterfeit medications may also contain incorrect ingredients, improper dosages of the correct ingredients, or contain actual hazardous ingredients that are injurious to the health of consumers.
In two thousand and three, the WHO cited estimates that the annual earnings of counterfeit drugs were over thirty-two billion dollars.
Reports showed that many fake drugs came from the same countries that make normal drugs, in particular China and India. In the case of India, while it is against the law to sell fake drugs for domestic use, there is no prohibition on export of counterfeit drugs to any part of the world.
Also in China, the State Food and Drug Administration is not responsible for regulating pharmaceutical ingredient manufacture and exported by chemical companies.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria also disclosed that at least seventy percent of the drugs in circulation in Nigeria are fake and most imported from India, China, Pakistan, Egypt and Indonesia.
Indeed, the National Agency for Food and Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) established in two thousand and four to among other things regulate and control the importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution, sale and use of good drugs, bottled water and chemicals had done a lot to check the influx of counterfeit and other substandard products in the Country.
In June two thousand and nine, the Agency seized a large consignment of fake anti-malaria drugs with the label of ‘Made in China’ but found that the medicines were in fact produced in China and were imported in the African countries.
To save the country from being a dumping ground for fake drugs, a combined team of the Senate Committee and the National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recently paid a visit to China as part of Nigeria’s leading role in ensuring quality drugs for consumers.
Led by Chairman of the Committee, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the working visit which preceded a similar one planned for India was a pregnatic step jointly taken by both organizations to tackle the hydra headed problem of influx of fake drugs and unwholesome processed food in which some unscrupulous Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies have been identified.
The visit is expected to serve as a new vista of opportunity between NAFDAC and Chinese Food and Drug Administration to close ranks and work together in eradicating the reoccurring problem of exportation of counterfeit drugs from China to Nigeria.
Thus, the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC in collaboration with States, Ministries of Health must not relent in sanitizing the system by prosecuting and confiscate properties of these deliberate killers with a view to riding the nation of fake drugs and save endangering lives.
Friday, June 11, 2010
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP IN AFRICA SOIL
After years of skepticism over Africa’s ability to host an event of the magnitude of the World Cup, South Africa is hosting the four weeks global soccer fiesta, the first of its kind in Africa soil, since its inauguration eighty years ago.
No doubt, the entire World, particularly, soccer enthusiasts and analysts, are not unaware of politics that go alongside agitation or bidding for hosting of any football competition from local level to global level.
South Africa however began the great challenge in May two thousand and four, when FIFA President Sepp Blatter opened the envelope which revealed South Africa as the first African country to host the soccer World Cup in Zurich, Switzerland.
Prior to the announcement, South African Government had made seventeen guarantees to FIFA, in relation to the delivery of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Since FIFA’s announcement of South Africa as the host country of the World’s biggest soccer event, there have been series of criticisms, challenges and encouragements on the country’s preparedness in terms of infrastructure to host the World. Today, there is no question whether the Country is ready to host a spectacular and memorable event as all the thirty-two countries representing all the continents and sub-continents of the world arrived the rainbow nation.
Out of these thirty-two countries, six African countries, including host, South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana, Algeria and Cote d’lvoire are taking part in the tournament.
The rest of the qualified countries are Japan, the Netherlands, Korea Democratic People’s Republic, Australia, Korea Republic, USA, Brazil, England, Paraguay, Spain, Denmark, Chile, Germany and Italy.
Others are Mexico, Serbia, Switzerland, Argentina, Honduras, Slovakia, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Greece, Uruguay and New Zealand.
The four week event is expected to take place in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, using ten stadia in nine host cities, while an independent consulting and accounting firm revealed that about four hundred thousand international tourists are expected to visit South Africa over the period.
Indeed, the World Cup is not only a landmark event, it is a defining event for its host nation because a lot of infrastructural projects had been put in place.
Economically, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has disclosed that the soccer spectacle is expected to inject about fifty-five billion rand into the country’s economy as well as create over four hundred and fifteen thousand jobs.
Speaking on the preparation of the country, former South African President, Nelson Mandela noted that the 2010 World Cup is a powerful creator of opportunity for all and must be used as a springboard for future.
According to him, the World Cup will help unify people, if there is one thing in this planet that has the power to bind people, it is soccer.
It is therefore imperative for the South African authorities to intensify efforts on its transport services, health-care delivery, safety and security, immigration, tourism sector, telecommunications services and administration of justice to check all impediments to successful hosting of the World on African soil for the first time.
All African nations participating in the fiesta must show their stuff and potentials.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) should also give necessary support to South Africa with a view to giving the World the best World Cup ever while other stakeholders in the continent should use the competition to proof that South Africa and indeed the African continent in general, is capable of organizing an event of this magnitude.
No doubt, the entire World, particularly, soccer enthusiasts and analysts, are not unaware of politics that go alongside agitation or bidding for hosting of any football competition from local level to global level.
South Africa however began the great challenge in May two thousand and four, when FIFA President Sepp Blatter opened the envelope which revealed South Africa as the first African country to host the soccer World Cup in Zurich, Switzerland.
Prior to the announcement, South African Government had made seventeen guarantees to FIFA, in relation to the delivery of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Since FIFA’s announcement of South Africa as the host country of the World’s biggest soccer event, there have been series of criticisms, challenges and encouragements on the country’s preparedness in terms of infrastructure to host the World. Today, there is no question whether the Country is ready to host a spectacular and memorable event as all the thirty-two countries representing all the continents and sub-continents of the world arrived the rainbow nation.
Out of these thirty-two countries, six African countries, including host, South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana, Algeria and Cote d’lvoire are taking part in the tournament.
The rest of the qualified countries are Japan, the Netherlands, Korea Democratic People’s Republic, Australia, Korea Republic, USA, Brazil, England, Paraguay, Spain, Denmark, Chile, Germany and Italy.
Others are Mexico, Serbia, Switzerland, Argentina, Honduras, Slovakia, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Greece, Uruguay and New Zealand.
The four week event is expected to take place in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, using ten stadia in nine host cities, while an independent consulting and accounting firm revealed that about four hundred thousand international tourists are expected to visit South Africa over the period.
Indeed, the World Cup is not only a landmark event, it is a defining event for its host nation because a lot of infrastructural projects had been put in place.
Economically, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has disclosed that the soccer spectacle is expected to inject about fifty-five billion rand into the country’s economy as well as create over four hundred and fifteen thousand jobs.
Speaking on the preparation of the country, former South African President, Nelson Mandela noted that the 2010 World Cup is a powerful creator of opportunity for all and must be used as a springboard for future.
According to him, the World Cup will help unify people, if there is one thing in this planet that has the power to bind people, it is soccer.
It is therefore imperative for the South African authorities to intensify efforts on its transport services, health-care delivery, safety and security, immigration, tourism sector, telecommunications services and administration of justice to check all impediments to successful hosting of the World on African soil for the first time.
All African nations participating in the fiesta must show their stuff and potentials.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) should also give necessary support to South Africa with a view to giving the World the best World Cup ever while other stakeholders in the continent should use the competition to proof that South Africa and indeed the African continent in general, is capable of organizing an event of this magnitude.
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