NDLEA partners medicine dealers in Edo to fight substance abuse

By Jethro Ibileke

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, has called for a strategic partnership with patent medicine vendors.

The State Commander of NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, made the call on Wednesday in Benin, at a one-day anti-drug abuse workshop organised for members of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Edo State Chapter.

The workshop, themed “Patent Medicine Vendors as Frontline Defenders: Ensuring Safe Medicines, Preventing Drug Abuse”, aimed to bridge the gap between regulation and community-level healthcare provision.

It is designed to foster a stronger collaborative relationship between NAPPMED and the NDLEA for intelligence gathering and community protection, building a stronger defence system at the grassroots, in compliance with the mandate of the Chairman Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, as a strategic move to educate members of the public, monitor supply chain controls, engage relevant stakeholders and implement enforcement measures to curb the drug problem.

Ofoyeju, who called for a reinforcement of ethical dispensing practices, identifying them as critical agents in the fight against substance abuse, emphasised that the workshop is both a capacity-building exercise and a clarion call to adhere to the rules of access to medicines.

“We must unite to address the challenges of substance abuse and the illicit drug trade. When prescription drugs, psychoactive substances, and codeine-based cough syrups find their way into the wrong hands through unethical conduct, it can aggravate addiction, destroy families, and cripple the potential of our youth.

“The line between legitimate medicine and substance abuse is perilously thin. It is at this very junction that NAPPMED members stand as gatekeepers,” he said.

The NDLEA Commander noted that the trust reposed in medicine vendors by the public is immense, and it comes with a huge responsibility that extends beyond dispensing medications to safeguarding public health against the scourge of drug abuse.

He highlighted the challenges faced in Edo State, noting the diversion of prescription drugs, psychoactive substances, and codeine-based cough syrups as well as the get-rich-quick mentality as key drivers of unethical conduct that destroy families and cripple the potential of young people.

Outlining the workshop’s objectives, Ofoyeju said it included deepening the vendors’ understanding of drug laws, sharpening their skills in identifying drug abuse red flags, reinforcing ethical dispensing practices, and establishing them as active agents of prevention and referral.

According to him, “We are not here to vilify but to collaborate. We recognise you as legitimate, caring business people who provide essential services. The NDLEA will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any erring member who violates the rules of engagement.

“Our aim is to empower you with knowledge so you can better protect your businesses, your communities, and our collective future from the devastation of drug abuse.”

He added: “The event signifies a pivotal shift towards a community-centred approach in Nigeria’s drug control strategy, leveraging the extensive network of patent medicine vendors to stem the tide of substance abuse at its potential source. A similar workshop will be conducted in Edo Central and Edo North districts for effective coverage.”

In her welcome remarks, the state president of NAPPMED, Mrs Omueti Victoria, described the workshop as remarkable and pledged to work with relevant stakeholders.

“We members of NAPPMED, as one of the health care providers regulated by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), will continue to work with relevant agencies in the fight against drug abuse,” she said.