Renowned Nollywood actress and producer Mary Remmy Njoku has voiced serious concerns about the effectiveness of medications in Nigeria after a troubling encounter with food poisoning on a film set. The incident has sparked fears about the circulation of substandard or counterfeit drugs in the country.
In a detailed Instagram post, Njoku shared her distressing experience, highlighting the difference between medications purchased locally and those obtained abroad. The actress revealed that she had suffered from severe food poisoning while working on set and immediately sought relief by purchasing Imodium, a well-known anti-diarrheal drug, from a reputable pharmacy chain in Nigeria.
Despite following the prescribed dosage for three days, Njoku’s condition showed no improvement. Frustrated and still unwell, she was later given the same medication—Imodium—by her husband, who had purchased it overseas. Shockingly, within just five minutes of taking the foreign-bought tablet, her symptoms subsided.
This alarming discrepancy led Njoku to question the quality of medications being distributed in Nigeria. She emphasised that this was not an isolated incident, as she had noticed similar inconsistencies in the past.
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Expressing her concern for public health, Njoku called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to urgently investigate the matter.
She said, “I want to share a recent experience: I had food poisoning on a set and sent a staff member to buy Imodium from a well-known pharmacy chain in Nigeria. A medication I’ve used many times before. I took it for about three days, but my symptoms persisted.
“Then my husband bought a tiny tablet of the same Imodium from abroad, and after taking it, my stomach issues subsided within just five minutes. This isn’t the first time I have noticed a difference. So I have to ask: What exactly are we being sold in Nigeria? What’s going on with our drugs? This is a public health risk, and NAFDAC must take it seriously. This is very dangerous.”
As concerns grow, the masses are urging NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies to intensify efforts in combating counterfeit and substandard drugs, ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe and effective treatments.
