The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the reopening of the medicine market at Bridgehead, Onitsha, on March 7, following a temporary closure for sanitization and regulatory enforcement.
Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC Director for the Southeast, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
The agency had previously shut down Ogbo Ogwu and three adjoining markets from February 10 to March 7 as part of efforts to sanitize the medicine distribution system and ensure public safety.
Iluyomade explained that there were administrative conditions every shop owner had to fulfil before their shops, previously sealed during the operation, could be unsealed.
He said that the process was put in place to prevent the recurrence of the issues that led to the market’s closure.
He highlighted that pharmaceuticals were highly regulated due to their impact on public health and national security, adding that NAFDAC’s mandate, under the NAFDAC Act, was to regulate and control the sales and distribution of drugs.
Iluyomade also clarified that the market had not been closed, contrary to reports from some media outlets.
He said that the process underway was focused on documenting and regularising the shops, ensuring that no shop would be unsealed without completing the necessary clearance procedures.
He said NAFDAC had set up a special desk to facilitate this process efficiently.
Iluyomade thanked the market leadership and the Anambra state government for their cooperation and understanding.
He further stated that the agency was not aware of any internal conflicts within the market.
NAN
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