The House, following the adoption, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to “intensify efforts aimed at eradicating fake drinks and substandard drugs from the country,” while mandating the Committee on Healthcare Services to ensure compliance with the resolution.

Nwawuba said, “The House notes that unwholesome drinks or counterfeits are illegally produced drinks that may be contaminated with wrong ingredients.

“The House also notes that according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control findings, Nigeria is the largest market for fake and counterfeit drugs among developing nations of the world and about 70 per cent of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria are fake.

“The House is worried that youths rely on energy drinks and drugs for energy to commit atrocities such as armed robbery, kidnappings, rape, killings, etc., which leads to a decline in their health status and destroys their capacity to contribute to societal development.

“The House is concerned that the productive capacity of the youth, an asset of any nation, is destroyed at a time when the Federal Government of Nigeria is diversifying the Nigerian economy from oil to agriculture which requires Nigerians to go back to farming which also requires lots of energy.”

The lawmakers also cited the disturbing report of the World Health Organisation which states that over 120,000 Africans die annually due to fake malarial drugs, that 16 per cent of fake counterfeit drugs contain the wrong active ingredients and that about 33 per cent of all antimalarial drugs in patent medicine stores, pharmacies, clinics and hospital in sub-Saharan Africa are fake.

“The House is also disturbed that Nigeria’s case is the worst due to the poor health delivery system which has turned hospitals and healthcare centres to mere consulting centres,” Nwawuba added.

source: Healthwise