Biography :
Born on 14/07/1954 (format : day/month/year)
Dora Nkem Akunyili "the iron lady" b. July 14, 1954,is a Nigerian internationally renowned pharmacist and the former Director General of NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control). She is the current Minister of Information and Communications .
Dora Nkem Akunyili "the iron lady" b. July 14, 1954,is a Nigerian internationally renowned pharmacist and the former Director General of NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control). She is the current Minister of Information and Communications .
Her professional achievements, scholarship and commitment have been recognised over the years by many awards from organisations and governments in Africa, Europe and America, not least her nomination as one of the 'Heroes of our Time' by Time Magazine in New York, and the International Service Human Rights Award which she received at the House of Commons in London.
Dora Akunyili is a pharmacist, between violence and attempts at murdering her, she has, for the last six years, been carrying out a war without mercy against the traffickers of false medical drugs in Nigeria. For security reasons, her family lives in the United States. She is the head of Nafdac, the Nigerian agency for the control of food and drugs. She is responsible for the war against fake drugs and is doing her job with the risk of losing her life.
Committed and decided, she says, with tears in her eyes, "False drugs, is the massacre of innocent lives and is a crime against humanity. We can protect ourselves against aids but we can do nothing against a deadly drug".
When she started her job, 62% of drugs were not authorised and approved, imported from China, India or manufactured in a clandestine factory from somewhere such as Onitsha in the south of Nigeria, where false drugs have been a speciality. Some of these "false drugs" contain dangerous substances, others are simply the original product which has been diluted in order for their taste to be the same, however the result is still the same.
Dora's sister, Vivian, was diabetic and died from an injection of false insulin and fake antibiotics. Contrary to her predecessors, she took her mission to heart and declared war on the "merchants of death". She limited drug imports to two sea ports and two airports, she used inspectors in China and India and put 31 manufacturers on a black list , taking action on 800 different accounts against specific sales and local production. She didn't have to wait very long for their reactions, she was almost immediately offered 1 million dollars as a bribe to stop her actions.
She refused and they menaced her, shedding corrupt employees, she had to get rid of 300 members of staff over a period of six years (out of a total of 3 000 people), including her brother in law. Her son was the object of a kidnap attempt and then professional killers were sent after her. In August six armed men entered her home, she had changed plans at the last minute.
A year later the Nafdac laboratories were burnt down. According to her agenda she had an appointment there. On 26 December 2003 as she approached her home, her convoy was attacked and a bullet went through her air and burnt her scalp, the driver of the bus was killed.
Marcel Nnakwe is the most important producer of false drugs in Nigeria, he has created a massive fortune and has been assisted by key elements in the police and legal system. He has been arrested several times and has always been let out. Currently he is under investigation for the murder attempt of Christmas 2003, however after 58 audiences, and 19 witness statements, the judge has been considered incapable of proceeding with the trial.
The results of Dora Ayunkili's efforts have born fruits, the figure of 62% of false drugs has dropped to 20%. Onitsha was raided at the beginning of march and 700 policemen removed 80 truckloads of counterfeit drugs. They have managed to get the Indian and Pakistani manufacturers under control, however this is proving to be more difficult in China. Chinese copy drugs are rife and easy to obtain, the Chinese authorities are doing nothing to control exports, even false drugs. An article in the New York times described how a false cough sirop produced by the Chinese caused the death of 100 people in Panama, the same deathly substance as been found in Chinese produced toothpaste in Panama and in the United States where Chinese pet food had caused the death of 3 600 animals between March and April.
Dora Akunyili did not resign on 29 May when president Obasanjo's stopped being president, instead she has stated that she wishes to see Marcel Nnakwe's downfall.
Awards:
-Person of the Year 2005 Award - Silver bird Communications Ltd, Lagos, 05-01-2006
Merit Award - Nigerian Medical Association, FCT., Abuja Branch, 14-12-2005
-African Virtuous and Entrepreneurial Women Merit Award 2005 - African Biographical Network, Dec. 2005
-Distinguished Award as a Role Model of Nigerian Society Ahmadu Bello University Students’ Union Government (ABUSUG), Zaria, Nigeria. 08-07-2005
-Women Achievers Award 2005 Women’s Wing of Christain Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Lagos State Chapter, Lagos, Nigeria 23-06-2006The DORA's services are speechless. Our Pharmacists should be able to develop the sense of Her mission. His name is just not only the name but the Inspiration for Pharmacists round the Globe.!!
