“The Safety of Pharmaceutical Products Is Paramount in Ebonyi” — Inside APPMAN’s Push for a Safer Drug Market
Ugo Ewa
The safety of pharmaceutical products is paramount in Ebonyi State. This guiding principle framed discussions at the Midian Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Pharmaceutical Products Marketers of Nigeria (APPMAN), Ebonyi State Chapter, where regulators, security agencies, government officials and industry players gathered to confront the twin challenges of drug counterfeiting and abuse.
Representing the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Dr. Moses Okoro, reaffirmed that the present administration has placed the health sector at the top of its priorities, a development he said is already translating into improved maternal and emergency healthcare services.
“Our concern is the safety of products,” Dr. Okoro said. “We do not give adulterated or fake drugs. What we stand for is the protection of lives, not just in Ebonyi but across Nigeria.”
On his part, Ambassador Nwokoro Simon, Chairman of the Ebonyi State Chapter of APPMAN, emphasized that effective regulation begins long before drugs reach the open market.
“Every drug that enters the market passes through NAFDAC, the NDLEA, and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria,” he explained. “Our duty as pharmaceutical product marketers is to ensure that whatever comes into Ebonyi State is pure and exactly as produced by the manufacturer.”
According to him, the presence of all major regulatory bodies within the drug market ecosystem makes scrutiny easier and significantly reduces the circulation of counterfeit and expired drugs.
“Before any product gets to the market, all the regulatory agencies are already there. On that note, you hardly hear of counterfeiting or expired drugs in our market or neighboring states,” he said.
Nwokoro also disclosed that the association recently embarked on a membership drive to bring non-member pharmaceutical marketers under one umbrella.
“We visited pharmacy outlets and explained why they should join APPMAN. Membership is not about persuasion; it is a statutory obligation to belong to a body that controls and standardizes the business,” he noted, adding that the presence of NDLEA, NAFDAC, PCN and the Ministry of Health at the AGM demonstrated growing confidence in the association.
Also speaking, Mr. Nwofoke John Okwegbu, CEO of Biscayne Pharmacy Limited and Secretary of APPMAN in Ebonyi State, described the association’s core mandate as safeguarding public health through responsible drug marketing.
“Our role is to ensure that pharmaceutical products in circulation are not harmful or injurious to the body,” he said. “People patronize pharmacies because they trust that they will get the right drugs for their illnesses.”
Okwegbu identified taxation as a major area where government intervention could strengthen the association’s impact.
“Pharmaceutical products are not taxed at the federal level. If states replicate this, businesses will thrive, and citizens will get quality drugs at cheaper rates instead of counterfeit products,” he appealed, calling for the elimination of multiple taxation to protect both businesses and consumers.
For Barrister Osita Godsend, APPMAN fills a long-standing gap in the pharmaceutical sector.
“This association has existed for some time, but we observed that non-pharmacist owners of pharmacy outlets had no platform that brought them together,” he said. “That is why we aligned with APPMAN, to protect the collective interest of members and ensure order in the system.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Mrs. Umeh Uchechukwu Charity, Pioneer Chairman of APPMAN in Ebonyi State and now a national officer, described the association’s growth as gradual but purposeful.
“This dream started around 2021 with just a few people,” she recalled. “Some members encountered challenges and needed a collective voice after individual efforts failed. Through dialogue with relevant bodies, issues were resolved, and that gave birth to this association.”
She noted that APPMAN was formally registered on May 15, after initially organizing as a group of non-pharmacist pharmacy owners before aligning with the national body.
“Starting was not easy, but today it is a recognized association, and I have no regrets,” she said.
On challenges, Charity acknowledged that taxation had posed difficulties earlier in the year but said the issue was resolved amicably through dialogue.
“Our focus now is compliance,” she stressed. “Register your premises, sell genuine drugs with NAFDAC numbers, and follow the rules. Once you do that, issues will be minimal.”
From regulators to marketers and law enforcement agencies, the consensus at the AGM was clear: ensuring safe pharmaceutical products is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation, compliance and continuous engagement.
As Ebonyi State strengthens its health system, APPMAN’s evolving role signals a growing resolve to build a regulated drug market where public safety comes before profit, and where collaboration remains the strongest weapon against counterfeit drugs and abuse.
