MNAFDAC Probes Corps Member’s Death
Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has launched an investigation into the death of a National Youth Service Corps member, Etimbuk Daniel, following allegations that he may have received substandard or falsified medication at an orientation camp in Enugu State.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, confirmed the investigation in a statement, assuring Nigerians that the agency would examine the circumstances surrounding the corps member’s death and determine whether the medicines administered during his treatment contributed to the tragedy.
Daniel, who hailed from Akwa Ibom State, was the immediate past President of the Students’ Union Government of Akwa Ibom State University. He died while participating in the compulsory three-week NYSC orientation programme in Enugu State.
Mediaplusng.com reports that concerns about the circumstances of his death intensified after the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Akinteye Afeez, alleged in a statement published on Facebook on October 11 that a doctor had confirmed the medicine administered to the corps member was fake.
However, the allegation has not been established, and NAFDAC has urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.
According to Professor Adeyeye, preliminary information indicates that Daniel was first taken to the orientation 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.
However, his condition allegedly deteriorated when he returned to the clinic on Saturday, October 10, complaining of pain in his right thigh, profuse sweating and repeated episodes of low blood pressure.
The NAFDAC director-general said his condition worsened, with poor urine output despite fluid resuscitation. He was subsequently referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Ituku-Ozalla, where he became comatose.
Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
On the preliminary medical assessment, Adeyeye said the suspected cause of death was acute kidney injury associated with severe dehydration and shock.
She stressed that these findings remain preliminary and do 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 the medical personnel involved in his treatment and other staff, and collected medicine samples for laboratory analysis.
The agency says further regulatory action will depend on the findings of the investigation.
NAFDAC has also expressed condolences to Daniel’s family and appealed to Nigerians to remain calm while the investigation continues. The agency reaffirmed its responsibility to ensure that medicines available in the country meet required standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has also ordered an investigation into the corps member’s death. Lawmakers are additionally examining the state of healthcare facilities in NYSC orientation camps across the country.
The twin investigations are expected to bring greater scrutiny to medical services available to corps members during orientation programmes.
For Daniel’s family, colleagues and the wider Akwa Ibom community, the central questions remain what led to his death, whether the treatment he received met the required medical standards, and whether any shortcomings contributed to the outcome.
Until the investigations are concluded, the allegation of fake medication remains unproven.
The findings from NAFDAC’s laboratory tests and the wider inquiries will be crucial in establishing the facts and determining whether further action is necessary.
