The Federal Ministry of Health says it has recalled 2, 405, 724 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, said this in Abuja, while receiving the final report of the stakeholders’ committee set up by the ministry to address the worrisome menace of abuse of codeine.
According to a statement by the ministry on Sunday, the move was part of efforts to further demonstrate the Federal Government’s resolve to stem the abuse of codeine and other substances in Nigeria.
The statement read in part, “The Federal Ministry of Health has recalled 2, 405,724 million bottles of codeine cough syrup after a recent audit trail of the substance carried out by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
“Prof Adewole said the audit trail and subsequent recall of the substance was part of the recommendations submitted by the 22-man committee drafted from a broad spectrum of the health sector to collaborate with relevant agencies as part of renewed efforts to actively monitor drug distribution channels and sanitise the system.”
The minister recalled that the committee was an offshoot of the press release issued by the ministry on the temporary ban of codeine production and distribution and further directive for NAFDAC to convene a committee of stakeholders to chart the way forward.
The committee has the following dignitaries as members: Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof Christianah Adeyeye (chairman); the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Muhammad Abdullah; Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Elijah Mohamed; and Director, Food and Drugs Services Ministry of Health, Mr Moshood Lawal.
Others include the President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmed Yakasai; and the Executive Secretary, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr Okey Akpa.
