Ondo CMD Warns: Fake Drugs More Deadly Than Bandits

During a familiarization visit by Dr. Samuel Oluwaoromipin Adekota, the Senior Consultant on Pharmaceutical and Medical Investments, to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State, Gbala, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), stated that fake drugs kill faster than bandits. He emphasized the urgent need for measures to safeguard the pharmaceutical supply chain, highlighting the dangers of substandard and counterfeit medicines as a silent threat to public health.

Gbala shared a personal experience questioning the authenticity of a drug purchased for his daughter, despite its high cost. He urged healthcare institutions to scrutinize the source and quality of medicines, noting that even drugs from the Drug Management Agency (DMA) may not be genuine.

He called for collaboration between UNIMEDTH and the Ondo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency (OSDHCMA) to ensure safe medicines reach patients and advocated for better drug procurement and monitoring systems.