THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a warning to Nigerians regarding the illegal sale and distribution of an unregistered brand of condoms.
Yesterday, the agency reported that officials from the Post-Marketing Surveillance directorate discovered Foula condoms (sold in packs of three) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Katsina State.
NAFDAC stated, “These condoms are not registered for use in Nigeria, and their labeling is not in English.”
The agency highlighted that condoms are an effective barrier method for preventing unintended pregnancies and protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. For maximum effectiveness, any barrier method must be used correctly.
It cautioned that the unauthorized sale or distribution of unregistered condoms poses significant risks, as the safety, quality, and effectiveness of these products are not assured.
“Purchasing and using poor-quality condoms can severely undermine condom promotion efforts aimed at preventing unintended pregnancies and protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. If condoms fail or break, they do not provide sufficient protection.
“NAFDAC has instructed all zonal directors and state coordinators to monitor and remove these unregistered products from the market. Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers are urged to remain vigilant within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of these illegal products. All medical products and devices should only be obtained from authorized and licensed suppliers, and their authenticity and physical condition should be carefully verified. Healthcare professionals and consumers are encouraged to report any suspected sale of substandard or counterfeit medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, or contact NAFDAC at 0800-162-3322 or via email at [email protected].
“Additionally, healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report any adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office or through the E-reporting platforms available on NAFDAC’s website at www.nafdac.gov.ng, or via the Med-safety application, which can be downloaded from Android and iOS stores, or email [email protected],” NAFDAC concluded.
