By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has reacted to news of closure of its production site by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
In a statement issued today, Emzor said its operations were not totally closed by the regulatory agency as being insinuated, but just one of its production sites located in Lagos.
Emzor noted that the affected production site is where the company produces the codeine from, saying the shutdown was just “temporary.”
“NAFDAC have only temporarily sealed one of Emzor’s production sites, the liquid line. The rest of Emzor is still operating as normal,” the firm said.
In a BBC documentary, one of the sales representatives of Emzor was filmed selling 60 bottles of codeine cough syrups to an undercover journalist illegally “fresh from the oven.”
After the report was release, the Nigerian government ban the production and importation of codeine syrups in the country.
Yesterday, NAFDAC announced the closure of Emzor and two other top pharmaceutical firms operating in the country; Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Limited and Bioraj Pharmaceutical Limited.
But in the statement issued a moment ago and obtained by Business Post, Emzor explained that, “On Wednesday the 2nd of May, NAFDAC inspected one of our production sites where Emzolyn with Codeine was made.
“They were given full access and our complete cooperation, with no issues raised at the time.
“On Monday the 7th of May, NAFDAC sealed the inspected site without giving us a reason or an explanation of what the violation of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Code was and it will be wrong for us to speculate as to the reason why.
“Emzor continues to make good quality affordable medicines for the Nigerian public and the products are still available to buy.
“We believe in Emzor Wellocracy, unlimited wellness available to all and affordable by all.”
