The FG of Health has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to ban with immediate effect further issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this in a statement on Tuesday.The directive came less than 48 hours after a documentary titled, ‘Sweet, Sweet Codeine,’ was aired on BBC.
The documentary which has gone viral showed some Nigerian youths who were addicted to codeine displaying symptoms of mental illness and confined to an ill-equipped rehabilitation centre.The minister said the decision to ban codeine became necessary due to the gross abuse of its use.
Adewole said cough syrups containing codeine should be replaced with dextromethorphan which is less addictive.He also directed the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NAFDAC to supervise the recall for labelling and audit trailing of all cough syrups that contain codeine in the country.