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NAFDAC disrupts unveiling of COVID-19 herb in Ogun

There was pandemonium yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, when officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) disrupted the unveiling of an anti-coronavirus herbal syrup. The incident happened at Centenary Hall, Ake, Abeokuta, where a herbal medicine expert, Paul Oni, was billed to address a press conference and exhibit the product called “Oxibiotics.”

Apart from disrupting the programme, the NAFDAC officials further went to inspect the product’s factory and sealed it indefinitely. A top official of NAFDAC in the state confirmed the cancellation of the event to reporters, saying it was stopped because the product had not been scientifically certified. The official, who preferred anonymity, said the herb producer had allegedly planned to release the herbs to the public without the knowledge of the agency.

He said: “The producer is a client. He knows the procedures having secured NAFDAC number for some of his products on two different occasions. But this product in particular has not passed through the NAFDAC processes. “Besides, he did breach advertisement control policy by advertising the product. And he deliberately did not invite us to the programme. If truly it’s a certified product, he would have invited us.

“So, we just got the hint this morning; that’s why we went there to stop the programme. We equally went to his factory and sealed the factory.” But speaking with reporters, Oni denied bypassing NAFDAC’s procedures in the unveiling of the anticoronavirus herbal product.

He stated that the programme was meant to seek partnership, support and raise fund for the product to undergo the proper processes and certification. Oni said: “The normal cost that you will incur in going through the NAFDAC process is about N600, 000 which does not include the clinical trials of N1.5million. So, when I saw the cost, I concluded that I should seek for help through a press conference. I am sure this herb can help people that have contracted COVID-19. “Maybe through that people will come to help me, NAFDAC will come to help me and give me a waiver. Nigeria Institute for Medical Research will hear what I have said about them and they will come and assist me.”

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