Dr. Tuyi Mebawondu, a public health consultant, has warned about the dangers of fake drugs after his friend suffered kidney failure from taking counterfeit anti-malaria medicine. He shared his experience during an interview with TVC News from 5.06 following the closure of 250 factories in Aba by NAFDAC for producing fake drinks.
Dr. Mebawondu explained that in 1992 while serving in Shadam Local Government, he and his team discovered a fake paracetamol syrup that was harming children’s kidneys. The culprit was caught and jailed, but today, he says, few people are punished for making or selling fake drugs.
He revealed that his friend, who bought malaria medicine from a well-known pharmacy in Lekki, lost both kidneys due to the fake drug. The man has been on dialysis and even had two failed kidney transplants. This, Dr. Mebawondu said, is proof that fake medicines can ruin lives.
He urged Nigerians to be more alert and report suspicious products. He suggested that people should take pictures of faulty products, receipts, and packaging, then upload them to a platform where authorities can track them.
He also called for stronger regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, more power for NAFDAC, and better monitoring of markets that sell fake products. If the issue is not tackled, he warned, fake drugs and food will continue to harm people and could lead to serious health crises.
Dr. Mebawondu emphasized that everyone must be involved in the fight against counterfeit medicine. “If you’re not affected, you may not care,” he said, “but when bad drugs spread, we all suffer.”
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