Anti Quackery Taskforce Nabs Fake Drugs Dealer In Ebonyi

Bpy Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

The Ebonyi state anti-quackery Commission Chairman, Dr Ifeanyi Edeaja has confirmed the arrest of suspected fake drug distributor identified as Mr Uche Maduka at Ogbogwu, Magret Umahi International Market, Abakaliki. Edeaja made the confirmation when interacting with Newsmen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital on Thursday. According to the report, the suspect hailed from Umunechi, Abia state and he's the major distributor of fake drugs in the state. The state Chairman of the Commission,Dr Edeaja stated that the suspect was arrested through the help of Neighborhood Watch at Ogbogwu, Magret Umahi International Market while supplying the fake products. He frowned at the spate of quacks infiltration in the health professions, thereby, endangering lives of innocent Ebonyians.

He reiterated Ebonyi state government readiness to bring an end to the operation of quackery in the state. He cautioned Pharmaceutical owners and operators against conducting criminal abortion noting that the action has caused alot of damages on the citizenry. He also noted that the state government has constituted a law that prohibited operation of quackery and added that defaulters would made to face the law. He further called on the public to report to the Commission activities of any illegal health facilities to the appropriate quarters as government is ready to wipe out criminalities in the health sector.

"In conjunction with members of the Neighbourhood watch at about 11am on weekend at Ogbogwu, International Market we apprehended one Mr Uche Maduka while supplying his fake goods following a tip off. He is currently in the police custody and I know that the law will take its full course. "While His Excellency, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru during the campaign promised to bring to an end activities of quackery doctors in the state. "Could you imagine a situation whereby a Community Health Extension Workers are conducting all manners of surgeries at the hinterlands; that's absurdly, abomination. He added, "There's a case of arrest at Ugbodo where one was butchering people in the name of conducting operation, another one at Ikwo where a man with WAEC conducted an operation on eighteen persons who were about to be discharged at the point of our visit to the illegal facility. "However, our activities are not limited to the rural areas, as alot are happening in the town here where some pharmacies now hang drip, they treat and even consult inside the pharmacies. "And the most gory is a situation where a pharmacist is an economist who run a pharmacy and even prescribes drugs to patients. "I wish to commend the governor of the state, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr Ekuma Moses, and Special Assistant on primary Health,Dr Sabinus Nwibo who took the bold step to say, enough is enough and we are calling on the general public to report any activity of illegal facility in their areas as Government cannot do it alone in sanitizing the system." he further emphasized