FG inaugurates task force to combat fake drugs, unwholesome processed foods

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The federal government has inaugurated a multi-agency task force to tackle the growing menace of counterfeit and substandard medicines, as well as unwholesome processed foods in the country.

The initiative is aimed at safeguarding public health, strengthening regulatory enforcement, and ensuring that only safe, high-quality drugs and food products reach Nigerian consumers.

Speaking during the inauguration in Abuja on Friday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, said the task force would serve as a coordinated platform for intelligence sharing, joint operations, and rapid enforcement against offenders.

He warned that counterfeit medicines and unsafe foods have continued to endanger lives, erode public trust in the healthcare system, and undermine the nation’s food security.

“This is a decisive step to protect Nigerians from harmful products that have no place in our markets or hospitals. Those who engage in the production or sale of counterfeit medicines and unwholesome foods are committing a grave crime against the people,” Pate said.

The members of the task force are drawn from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Army, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN).

Others are the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and other relevant agencies.

Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, pledged the agency’s full commitment to the initiative, noting that the fight against fake and substandard products requires coordinated national action.

She urged Nigerians to report suspicious drugs or food items through NAFDAC’s complaint channels.

The task force is expected to embark on market surveillance, conduct nationwide raids on suspected outlets, strengthen border controls, and intensify public sensitisation on the dangers of counterfeit medicines and contaminated foods.

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