FG raises the alarm over circulation of fake antimalarials

The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the circulation of fake quinine sulphate antimalarials in the country.

Quinine sulphate is one of the drugs used in the treatment of malaria.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who  issued the medical alert through the agency’s Director, Media and Public Relations, Mrs.  Boade Akinola,  on Sunday stated that two fake versions of drugs were already in circulation in Cameroon and  the  Democratic  Republic  of  Congo.

Adewole noted that laboratory analysis of some samples of the drugs confirmed that they had no active pharmaceutical ingredient.

The minister warned Nigerians to watch out for quinine sulphate tablets with batch numbers 10H05 and FH485 from Novadina Pharmaceutical Limited in the United Kingdom and CAD Pharm, India respectively.

Adewole stated, “The analysis of the drugs showed that they had zero active pharmaceutical ingredients. The implication of using the falsified quinine sulphate medication is that it will not be effective and  its use may also lead to other health challenges.

“The first product was discovered in Cameroon while the second was discovered in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo. Members of the public are advised to be vigilant and report to the nearest office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration if the drugs are spotted anywhere, including hospitals and pharmaceutical shops.”

Adewole added that the Federal Government had stepped up vigilance within the drug supply chains in the country to check their importation.

Meanwhile , 12 districts of Greece have banned blood donations because of malaria, with four cases this year contracted domestically.

In the 61 other cases recorded, the sufferers became infected on the Indian subcontinent and African states, where the disease is endemic.

The districts affected stretch from the Peloponnese to Thessaloniki.

Domestic cases of malaria  were first reported four years ago – nearly four decades after the disease was wiped out in Greece.

PUNCH.