The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said its officials smashed a syndicate posing as free healthcare providers in the Abuloma area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The agency said the syndicate also posed as missionaries to give fake and unregistered products including tablets and eye drops, saying a woman, Mrs Gladys Theophilus, seen administering the product was arrested.
The Director, South-South Zone of NAFDAC, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Oligbu said the arrest followed a tip-off NAFDAC received from some concerned citizens on the activities of the “unscrupulous” elements at a town hall in the area, leading to a raid last Friday.
He said the products which they claimed treat several sicknesses neither had a NAFDAC number nor the address of the producers.
He stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered the activities of some unscrupulous elements posing as missionaries/free health caregivers at the Community Town Hall Abuloma, Port Harcourt Local Government Area.
“The discovery followed a tip-off by a public-spirited individual that some fake health caregivers using evangelism as a cover are giving unsuspecting members of the public fake/unregistered eye drops, bottled water, cleansers, tablets etc.
“The unregistered products include: Evangelist Jenkins Supernatural Water, Evangelist Jenkins Cleanser, and Evangelist Jenkins eyes drop.
“These products are purported to treat goitre, cancer, pile, arthritis, rashes, fibroids, cataracts and glaucoma. The list is limitless.”
Oligbu continued, “It was gathered that some persons who used the eyes drop got their eyes swollen while the fake doctor who is on the run would assure them that the swollen eye was a sign that the drug was working while assuring them that the impurities in their eyes would be washed out as mucus and liquid come out of their eyes.
“When the NAFDAC team led by the State Coordinator, Emmanuel Onogwu, stormed the town hall located at Jetty Road, Abuloma, they met a woman administering their fake drugs to some persons waiting in turns.
“The middle-aged woman, Mrs Gladys Theophilus, who was attending to unsuspecting victims, was arrested while the fake doctor claimed to be outside the state when he was contacted on the phone.
“The fake products were eventually evacuated to the NAFDAC Zonal Office at Woji Road, GRA Phase 2 while investigations are ongoing.”
On the fate of the arrested female suspect, the NAFDAC Director South+South Zone said, “She will be charged to court while efforts are on to apprehend other members of the syndicate, now at large.”
He added, “I hereby warn the general public to beware of these unscrupulous elements claiming to be evangelists and selling concoctions in the name of medicine to unsuspecting members of the public.
“Their products are not registered or verified by any government body. Anybody patronising them is doing so at their peril.”
While insisting that NAFDAC has zero tolerance for fake and counterfeit drugs, Oligbu urged members of the public to immediately report activities of such fake healthcare providers if noticed for prompt action.
“We (NAFDAC) continuously pledge our commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation”’ he added.
