The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched an investigation into allegations that substandard or falsified medicines may have contributed to the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Etimbuk Daniel, at the orientation camp in Enugu State.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the investigation in a statement on Monday, assuring Nigerians that the agency would establish the facts surrounding the incident and take appropriate regulatory action where necessary.
Daniel, a native of Akwa Ibom State, reportedly died while participating in the compulsory three-week NYSC orientation programme in Enugu.
He was the immediate past President of the Students’ Union Government of Akwa Ibom State University.
The controversy surrounding his death followed an allegation by the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Afeez, who claimed in a Facebook statement on 11 October that an unnamed doctor had confirmed that the medicine administered to the deceased at the camp was fake.
However, NAFDAC cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, stressing that the alleged involvement of substandard or falsified medicines remained subject to investigation.
According to Adeyeye, preliminary information indicated that Daniel was first taken to the camp clinic on Wednesday, October 7, with symptoms suggestive of severe malaria and a history of peptic ulcer disease.
He was reportedly treated and stabilised before being discharged the following morning with oral medications.
The corps member, however, returned to the clinic on Saturday, October 10, complaining of right thigh pain, profuse sweating and recurring episodes of low blood pressure.
Adeyeye said his condition deteriorated, with poor urine output despite fluid resuscitation, prompting his referral to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State.
He subsequently became comatose, and efforts to resuscitate him proved unsuccessful.
The NAFDAC chief disclosed that a preliminary clinical assessment suggested acute kidney injury secondary to severe dehydration and shock as the suspected cause of death.
She, however, emphasised that the preliminary findings did not establish whether the medicines administered to Daniel contributed to his death.
As part of its investigation, NAFDAC officials have visited the camp clinic, interviewed medical personnel and other staff members, and collected samples of the medicines for laboratory analysis.
The agency said further regulatory action would depend on the outcome of the tests and other findings from the investigation.
Adeyeye expressed the agency’s condolences to the bereaved family and appealed to Nigerians to remain calm while investigations continued.
She reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring that medicines available in the country meet established standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
The investigation comes days after the Nigerian Senate ordered a probe into Daniel’s death and the state of healthcare infrastructure in NYSC orientation camps across the country.
