By Halimah Olamide
The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has alerted the general public to beware of the sales of fake Asian Ampicillin/Cloxacillin Oral Suspension and other Asian products.
The agency made this known via social media on Friday.
According to NAFDC, about 2,460 bottles of the product were discovered in six shops following painstaking intelligence and surveillance by regulatory officers in Kano State.
The fake product has a fake NAFDAC Registration Number (NRN): A4-8255, which is the registration number of another NAFDAC registered product Zarcef-S 1500, a brand of Ceftriaxone Sodium 1g and Sulbactam 500mg injection registered by Shrezar Healthcare Nigeria Limited.
AMPICILLIN+CLOXACILLIN is composed of two antibiotics, namely: ampicillin and cloxacillin, used to treat bacterial infections of the ear, nose, throat, bones, lungs, and post-operative wound infections.
Additionally, it is used to treat urinary tract infections, meningitis, gonorrhoea, and infections of the stomach or intestine.
All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have therefore been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the falsified products within their zones and states.
Similarly, importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers have been advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the product’s importation, distribution, sale, and use.
“All medical products must be sourced from authorized/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.
“Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC – 0800-162-3322 or via email:sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng” NAFDAC said.