Actress Mary Njoku raises alarm after experience with fake drug

Mary Remmy Njoku, a well-known Nollywood actress and producer, has expressed worries about the competency of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria following a recent food poisoning incident on a film set.

In an Instagram post, the actress expressed concern over suspected bogus medications circulating in the nation.

Njoku described how she bought Imodium, a drug used to treat diarrhoea, from a well-known pharmacy chain in Nigeria.

She added that even after taking the prescription for three days, her symptoms persisted.

However, when her husband gave her the same medication purchased abroad, she experienced relief within minutes.

The mother of three appealed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to take swift action to 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.”