The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians to the illegal sale and distribution of an unregistered condom brand in the country.
In a statement issued Thursday, NAFDAC reported that officials from the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate recently identified Foula condoms (packaged in sets of three) being sold in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and Zango, Katsina State.
The agency highlighted that this condom brand is neither registered with NAFDAC nor labelled in English, raising concerns about its compliance with national safety standards.
“Condoms are a proven effective barrier method that can be used as a dual-purpose method for both prevention of unintended pregnancy and protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. To be most effective, any barrier method used for contraception or preventing infection must be used correctly.”
NAFDAC also warned that the illegal distribution and sale of unregistered condoms pose significant risks, as the safety, quality, and efficacy of these products are not assured.
The agency further emphasized that using substandard condoms could undermine efforts to promote condom use for preventing unintended pregnancies, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
When condoms leak or break, they fail to provide the necessary protection, putting users at serious health risk, according to the agency.
NAFDAC statement read: “All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the unregistered products within the zones and states. Importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid importing, distributing, selling, and using illegally distributed products. All medical products/ medical devices must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked. Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
“Similarly, healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med- safety application available for download on android and IOS stores or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng.”
