Photo caption: Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said its officials have smashed a syndicate posing as free healthcare providers in the Abuloma axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The agency said the syndicate also posed as missionaries to give fake and unregistered products, including tablets and eye drops, saying a woman, Mrs Gladys Theophilus, who seemed to be administering the product, was arrested.
The Director, South-South Zone of NAFDAC, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Oligbu said the arrest followed a tip-off NAFDAC received from some concerned citizens on the activities of the “unscrupulous” elements at a town hall in the area, leading to a raid last Friday.
He said the products they claim treat several sicknesses do not have a NAFDAC number or address of the producers.
He stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered the activities of some unscrupulous elements posing as missionaries/free healthcare givers at Community Town Hall Abuloma, Port Harcourt LGA.
“The discovery followed a tip off by a public spirited individual that some fake health caregivers using evangelism as a cover are giving unsuspecting members of the public fake/unregistered eye drops, bottled water, cleansers, tablets etc.
“The unregistered products include: evangelist Jenkins’ supernatural water, evangelist Jenkins’ cleanser, evangelist Jenkins’ eyes drop.
“These products are purported to treat Goiter, Cancer. Pile, Arthritis. rashes, Fibroids, Cataracts and Glaucoma. The list is limitless”.
Oligbu continued, “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.
“When the NAFDAC team, led by the State Coordinator, 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 the phone.
“The fake products were eventually evacuated to the NAFDAC Zonal Office at Woji Road, GRA Phase 2, while investigations are ongoing.”
On the fate of the arrested female suspect, the NAFDAC Director South+South Zone said ” She will be charged to Court” while efforts are on to apprehend other members of the syndicate, now at large.
He added, “I hereby warn 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.
“Their products are not registered or verified by any government body. Anybody patronising them is doing so at his or her own peril.”
While insisting that NAFDAC has zero tolerance for fake and counterfeit drugs, Oligbu urged members of the public to immediately report activities of such fake healthcare providers if noticed for prompt action.
“We (NAFDAC) continuously pledge our commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation,” he added.
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