Two people have reportedly died in Benue State after being given Gentamycin 280mg injection, a drug banned in October 2010 by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The victims, Miss Florence Bagidi, a final year student of the Benue State University and Miss Florence Saawuan, a National Certificate of Education (NCE) holder died after they received the banned injection with Batch Number 110102, manufactured in January last year and expected to expire in January 2014.
NAFDAC Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii, told reporters in Lagos yesterday that the injection is common in Benue State, adding that it could be so in other states.
Orhii, who noted that he read about the incident on the Internet, said he urged the agency investigators to confirm it and they later told him that it was true.
The DG said investigations showed that Miss Bagidi died after a quack doctor, Mr. Reuben Obasi, a school certificate holder and a patient medicine store operator administered the injection to her in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
He added that the suspect, who admitted administering the injection to the deceased, had been detained at the Homicide Section, Police Headquarters, Makurdi.
Mr. Orhii said the agency is collaborating with the police to conduct a thorough laboratory analysis of the exhibit.
He said: “The other deceased, Miss Saawuan, was hospitalised for adverse drug reaction diagnosed to be Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome (SJS) and she died four days after receiving treatment at the Victory Hospital, Gboko, Benue State. Investigation showed that Gentamycin 280mg injection was among the drugs used in the management of the patient.
“Our team discovered and retrieved the banned drug, unregistered Doloneurobion tablets and Cimetidine injection from the hospital.”
The NAFDAC DG said the doctor in the hospital has provided information on the supplier of the drugs and tendered a receipt belonging to an indigenous company in Onitsha, Anambra State.
This information, he said, has led to the arrest of Mr. Chukwudi Nworie who admitted supplying the drugs to the hospital, but alleged that he got them from Chukwudi and Chinedu who are traders at the Onitsha Head Bridge Drug Market.
Mr. Orhii advised hospitals, pharmacies and outlets stocking the drugs to surrender them to the agency for destruction, adding that the public should patronise registered hospitals and pharmacies.
He said patients should report any adverse reaction from drugs to their doctors.
via The Nation: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/46086-two-die-in-benue-after-taking-banned-injection.html
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