By Omolara Akintoye
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered the activities of a syndicate posing as missionaries, free health care givers at Community Town Hall Abuloma, Port Harcourt LGA, Rivers State.
A statement signed by the Director of NAFDAC South South Zone, Chukwuma Oligbu said the discovery followed a tip off by a public spirited individual that some fake health care givers using evangelism as a cover are giving unsuspecting members of the public fake/unregistered eye drops, bottled water, cleansers, tablets among others.
“The unregistered products include: EVANGELIST JENKINS SUPERNATURAL WATER, EVANGELIST JENKINS CLEANSER, EVANGELIST JENKINS EYES DROP etc. These products are purported to treat Goitre, Cancer, Pile, Arthritis, Rashes, Fibroids, Cataracts and Glaucoma. The list is limitless,” he said.
“It was gathered that some persons that used the eyes drop got their eyes swollen while the fake doctor that’s on the run will assure them that the swollen eye is a sign that the drug is working while assuring them that the impurities in their eyes will be washed out as mucus and liquid comes out of their eyes” Oligbu continued.
When the NAFDAC team led by the state Coordinator, Pharm Emmanuel Onogwu stormed the town hall located at Jetty Road, Abuloma, they met a woman administering their fake drugs to some persons waiting in turns.
The middle aged woman Mrs Gladies Theophilus who was attending to unsuspecting victims was arrested while the fake doctor claimed to be outside the state when he was contacted on phone.
The fake products were eventually evacuated to NAFDAC Zonal Office at Woji Road, GRA Phase 2 while investigations are ongoing.
The NAFDAC Director said, “I hereby warned the general public to beware of these unscrupulous elements claiming to be evangelists and selling concoctions in the name of medicine to unsuspecting members of the public, there products are not registered or verified by any govt body, anybody patronising them is doing so at his or her own peril. I wish to reiterate that we need your support (the public) as we continuously pledge our commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation.”
NACFDAC advises the public to report wherever activities of the fake healthcare providers are noticed on as the agency insists on zero tolerance to counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.
