Remembering Dora Akunyili, The Ruins She Saved Nigeria

Today 28th August, 2014 Pharm. Dora Akunyili was committed to mother earth, Dora Akunyili was a warrior who fought for the life we have today as a country, many lives were lost, many more would have been but for her strength of purpose.

At the time, the early 2000, Nigeria recorded a 65%mortality rate caused by fake and expired drugs, Dora Akunyili’s sister was a victim of those peddlers which cost her life. Dora decided to give her life for the cause to rid the country of fake drug peddlers.
Onitsha head bridge was the headquarter of fake drugs production in Nigeria, business men imitated the packet of a drug, falsified the content using chalk or other toxic to get it to appear as if it were the original drug. They packaged it and sold it to the public. Imported products too were equally adulterated. The result of this was that medications were administered to people and they never got well, some of the substances used for these falsifications were toxic to the health and killed at the spot.

A business which started with a few greedy traders grew; because such businesses recorded bogus profit, they recorded an outstanding number of recruits pouring into it daily. At one point, it was difficult to tell the original from fake. The market was 70% adulterated products and 30% original products.Note that a large percentage of these products were imported, Invariably, the business of those who produced original drugs were dying.

Insider information revealed that top government officials were heavily in on the business as they were bribed to turn a blind eye. With due investigations, it was discovered that Asians and the Chinese used these businessmen to carry out their counterfeit production. The real barons in the business were these two above.

At the time, even the hospitals peddled fake and expired drugs without knowing, genuine drug vendors got associated with fake products without knowing.
Most genuine drugs were expensive and counterfeiters take advantage to supply cheap fake drugs to consumers, especially those who cannot afford the high priced good quality version. People were dying in their scores from fake and expired drugs.

It was at this state that the country was plunged into, that Pharm. Dora Akunyili was appointed the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from 2001 to 2008. A major function of NAFDAC is the regulation and control of imported products. This was done by having inspectors at various airports and seaports. This proved insufficient.

She began with pure water production, every manufacturer had to get a NAFDAC approved identity. This dropped cholera and water related diseases by 40% in two years. She fought on, she was young, inexperienced but led by her love and passion for the vision that brought her into office.

She moved to the drug producers and importers, every drug in circulation MUST have a NAFDAC approval number or it was destroyed and burnt regardless of the millions poured into it. She started to impound drugs at the customs clearing offices, however, bribery and corruption prevailed and large quantities were smuggled into the country. She moved into the markets with her constant 10 security details round the clock. Anywhere she got wind of fake production, imported drugs without a NAFDAC registration numbers she carted them away or destroyed them there.

Shopkeepers no longer dared to sell counterfeits openly for fear of being reported to the authorities. Criminals behind the trade left Nigeria and set up business in other countries. Governments across West Africa worked closely with Nigeria to crack down on the illegal trade.

She fired the most corrupt of her officers who took bribes behind her. To encourage honesty among her remaining 3000 staff and to boost morale, she offered incentives such as training abroad, improved facilities and a better working environment.

At the wake of 2006, fake drugs worth about two billion naira (US$ 16 million) wer
e voluntarily handed over by counterfeiters or seized after tip-offs from the public. As of June same year, Akunyili had secured convictions for 45 counterfeiters with 56 cases pending. The Nigerian authorities recently opened a laboratory in Port Harcourt that analyses medicines for authenticity. Another is being set up in Calabar.

#IWSSeries: Remembering Dora Akunyili, Anti-fake Drugs Crusader

She was offered billions of dollars by interest parties to stop her campaign or soft pedal but she stood her ground. They made several attempts to assassinate her, at one time the bullet pierced her car and only missed her by a slight chance. She didn’t quit, she only intensified her campaign and her security details.

Her biggest challenge was the open-air drug market in the city of Onitsha in south-eastern Nigeria. The bulk of fake drugs distributed in Nigeria originate there. Police raids have been unsuccessful because market traders attacked law enforcement officers yet she prevailed.

Dora Akunyili served as NAFDAC DG from 2001 to 2008 and reduced the percentage of counterfeit drugs by 70%. She was a national Icon, she attributed her wins to the public other than herself. She recalls that her strongest strategy was public orientation. She continually told the public to always check for NAFDAC number before purchasing a product, with the public adhering to this, it made it easy for her to carry out her campaigns.

She gave in to the fight against cancer on 7th June 2014 at an Indian hospital. Remembering Dora Nkem Akunyili reminds us that she was a national treasure, she didn’t succumb to bribery, she was a role model to many, oftentimes, we wonder what our lives would have been if she did not carry out the reforms she did. By now, One out of every fifty persons would have died from counterfeit drugs. It could have been you or someone you love and care about, it could have been any of us.

If she had stayed alive, she would have continued to contribute her quota to national reforms, we would have been better as a people, she lived and worked for the people at every turn, who knows, she might have been Nigeria’s first female president.

Rest on Dora Nkem Akunyili, we are yet to find someone who can walk your in shoes.