The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned Nigerians against consuming unlabelled, unregistered and illicitly mixed alcoholic and herbal beverages following a methanol poisoning incident in Ondo State.
The warning was contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the NMA-NAFDAC Liaison Committee, Dr Azim Adekunle Ashimi, and made available to journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on September 28, 2026.
The NMA said the public health crisis unfolding in Odigbo, Irele and surrounding Local Government Areas of Ondo State had claimed at least 48 lives, while more than 182 people had been affected.
It added that five victims had been rendered permanently blind, while two others suffered partial visual loss.
According to the association, laboratory findings by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) confirmed high concentrations of methanol, alongside Cannabis indica, in samples collected from the implicated beverages.
The NMA explained that methanol is an industrial solvent that becomes highly toxic when processed by the body into formic acid. It said exposure could damage the optic nerve and retinal cells, potentially resulting in irreversible blindness, severe metabolic complications, organ failure and death.
The association urged healthcare providers to maintain a high level of suspicion when treating patients who develop sudden visual impairment, unexplained metabolic acidosis or altered consciousness after consuming alcoholic or herbal mixtures.
It advised medical teams to provide prompt resuscitation and appropriate clinical management, while suspected cases should be immediately reported to local health authorities and NAFDAC state offices.
The NMA-NAFDAC Liaison Committee further called for intensified enforcement against informal distilleries, illegal herbal mixture blenders and open-market distribution networks.
It also demanded a nationwide public education campaign against unlabelled and unverified alcoholic beverages, including locally mixed drinks and herbal shots, as well as stricter controls over industrial supplies of toxic chemicals such as methanol to prevent their diversion into beverage production.
The association advised members of the public not to consume unlabelled, unregistered or illicitly mixed alcoholic and herbal beverages.
It urged anyone experiencing sudden changes in vision, severe headaches or difficulty breathing after consuming any drink to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest hospital.
The NMA expressed condolences to the families of those who died and pledged to continue working with NAFDAC and state health agencies to address the crisis and strengthen public safety.
