The Kanawa Pharmaceutical Coordinated Wholesale Centre (KPP-CWC) in Kano has seized fake and substandard pharmaceutical drugs valued at over N1.3 billion.
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Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Superintendent Pharmacist of the Centre, Furera Muhammad, disclosed that most of the confiscated products were high-demand medications, including antimalarials, analgesics, and antibiotics. She said the seized items failed laboratory tests for active ingredient content and posed a serious threat to public health.
According to Furera, some of the confiscated drugs have already been handed over to the state committee on drug abuse for destruction. She warned that these products, if not intercepted, would have reached the public, potentially leading to treatment failures and avoidable loss of lives.
She disclosed that regulatory officers from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) are present at the centre to ensure full compliance with pharmaceutical standards. Their presence, she added, has made it easier to detect and intercept substandard products before they reach the market.
She also highlighted that the centre now boasts a World Health Organization (WHO)-certified cold room powered by 24-hour solar energy, which is used to store temperature-sensitive medicines. This, she said, is crucial in maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of such products.
Addressing operational challenges, she admitted that the recruitment of distribution pharmacists has been slow, though applications have already been received from across the country. She confirmed that interviews will soon begin to strengthen the centre’s capacity.
Furera Muhammad called on the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to support the centre in launching a sensitization programme. The initiative, she said, would help raise awareness among management and operators and improve compliance with regulatory guidelines.
The KPP-CWC was established as part of a pilot programme by the Federal Ministry of Health to centralize wholesale drug distribution in a controlled and regulated environment. The centre aims to eliminate the dangers posed by open drug markets and ensure the safety and quality of medicines circulating across the country.
