OPEN DEFECATION: Nigeria leads Africa, trails India

With 47 million persons defecating in the open, Nigeria  the worst open defecation country in Africa and second in the world after India.

The 2018 WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping, (WASH NORM) Survey, says 75 million Nigerians use unimproved toilets while only 1 in 4 Nigerians have access to basic toilets.

The survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, also reveals that Nigeria loses N455 billion ($ 1.3 billion) annually due to poor sanitation.

Five other African countries rank among the worst 10 where open defecation is prevalent. They include Ethiopia (3rd), Niger (7th), Sudan (8th), Chad (9th) and Mozambique (10th). Other countries in the worst 10 are Indonesia (4th), Pakistan (5th), and China (6th).

Further,  the survey revealed that 90 percent of the 122, 000 Nigerians, including 87,000 children ged under 5, who die each year from diarrhoea, is directly attributable to lack of Water and Sanitation and Hygiene.

Remarking on the report, UNICEF’s Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, Zaid Jurji, said Nigeria's losses constitute 1 percent of her GDP.

"Open defecation costs Nigeria over US$ 1 billion a year (the GDP of Gambia)", Jurji noted.

Nigeria has remained on the list of top five open defecation countries in the world for 15 years, moving from 5th in 2003 to 2nd in 2015.

The UNICEF chief said Nigeria could achieve economic gains up to N359.1 billion (US$ 1.026 billion) annually from the N455 billion it loses due to lack of sanitation.

In 2012, the World Health Organisation, WHO and UNICEF  reported that Nigeria was among 10 countries that accounted for almost three-quarters of the people who practice open defecation. From the report, India ranks 1st with 626 million, Indonesia 63 million, Pakistan 40 million, Ethiopia 38 million, Nigeria 34 million, Sudan 19 million, Nepal 15 million, China 14 million, Niger -12 million, Burkina Faso -9.7 million, Mozambique  9.5 million and Cambodia 8.6 million.

There is the need for the country to prioritize sanitation on the federal and state government agenda and declare a state of emergency in the sector.

However, the former Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, had warned that if India was able to exit from its number one position in the list of countries with poor sanitation and open defecation by the middle of 2019, it would be a "national shame" for Nigeria not to.

"Three years ago, only 40 percent of Indians were using toilets but now, 95 percent of Indians are practicing full sanitation practices.

52 ILLEGAL pharmacies sealed up in Lagos

A TOTAL of 52 pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and unlicensed premises have been sealed up by the Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods.

The outlets located at Isolo, Egbeda, Ikotun, Bariga, and Somolu in Oshodi-Isolo, Alimosho and Somolu Local Government areas of Lagos were shut for offenses bordering on the illegal operation, amongst others.

 HealthNewsExtra gathered that the enforcement and compliance raid was carried out by the State Task force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods in collaboration with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on fake drugs and Police Officers from Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of Lagos Police Command.

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves, said the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were shut for operating without a license and engaging unqualified persons to operate the outlets and dispense drugs to unsuspecting citizens.

Other offenses include operating beyond scope through the sale of ethical products and displaying and storing drugs in an unconducive environment that compromises the potency and integrity of the drugs, rendering them ineffective.

 Goncalves said although registered, it was disheartening to note that quite a number of the pharmacies had no qualified pharmacists on duty and displayed expired drugs for sale to the public.

She added that some of the premises visited also engaged in illegal clinical practices such as patient admission and setting of intravenous infusions. 

Such practice is unacceptable, she noted even as she vowed that the State Government would do all necessary to enforce the law and sanction erring operators. 

 “The sealing of the affected pharmacies and patent medicine stores was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act of 1999, No. 25”, Goncalves said. 

 She said licensed patent medicine vendors are authorized to sell only drug products in their original packs in approved pack size as produced by the manufacturing companies. “The law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors,” she said. 

Operation of the task force came on the heels of the war against fake drugs and illegal drug shops. Goncalves warned that activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would be sustained, and intensified until operators in the sector adhere strictly to the provisions of the law on the operation of pharmacies and patent medicine shops, in order to safeguard the health of the citizenry. 

Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry, Dr. Moyosore Adejumo said  the State Government will not relent in its efforts to stop the inherent dangers associated with the operations from unlicensed pharmaceutical outlets and drug shops.

 Task Force through the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit (PIU) of the Pharmaceutical Services Directorate has been re-energized to intensify the on-going war against fake, expired and substandard drugs being peddled by unlicensed and illegal premises.

 “This closure is thus part of the government’s renewed efforts to sanitize the drug distribution system and curb proliferation of fake drugs in the State,” Adejumo said.  

 An investigative meeting would be held with owners of the sealed premises to make further inquiries on the status of the sealed premises and to notify them of the procedures and appropriate conditions to be met for reopening in line with government regulations and payment of an administrative fee. 

 The enforcement and compliance raid by the State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods was carried out in collaboration with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on fake drugs and the Police Officers from Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of Lagos Police Command.