Usman Muhammad
The Pharmacist Council of Nigeria PCN says it has shut down over 350 pharmacies and medicine stores in Jigawa State.
The director Enforcement of PCN, Pharmacist Stephen Esumobi disclosed this during a press briefing held at federal Secretariat Dutse, the state capital.
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According to him, the visit of the enforcement team to the state is in continuation of PCN’s current drive to streamline the drug distribution system in Nigeria.
He further explained that, they would ensure that all medicines remain safe effective and of good quality as they pass through different stakeholders at various levels of the drug distribution chain until they get to the consumers.
Stephen Esumobi pointed out that, various premises were operating illegally as they were never registered by the PCN in Jigawa state.
He noted that, many patent medicine shops also stocked large quantities of medicines that are outside their approved drug list and also far beyond their scope.
The Director enforcement said, the storage conditions in most of the premises visited were found to be inadequate thus exposing products to degradation.
He hinted that, illegal medicine dealers were also found to engage in the sale of substances of abuse to members of the public as a result aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of these medicines.
He said, the local government areas visited include Dutse, Hadejia, Birnin Kudu, Gwaram, Ringim, Taura, Birniwa and Guri.
Others include Mallam Madori, Jahun, Kiyawa, Garki, Gumel, Kazaure, Roni, Gagarawa, Buji, Kafin Hausa, Kaugama, and Auyo.
Pharmacist Stephen added that at the end of the exercise, 457 premises were visited by the PCN team, noting that this made up of 19 pharmacies, 178 patent medicine shops and 260 illegal premises.
He said, a total of 355 premises were sealed which include 8 pharmacies, 87 patent medicine shops, and 260 illegal medicine shops.
The team leader said all the affected pharmacies and shops were sealed for offences ranging from unauthorized sale of substances of abuse, wholesale premises engaging in retail, sale of medicines without documentation, operating without registration with PCN among others.
He added that two arrests were made, one breaking PCN seals and the second for obstructing inspectors.
Stephen said, the Registrar of PCN, Pharmacist Ibrahim Baba Shehu Ahmed is currently repositioning the PCN to strengthen its surveillance and enforcement activities nationwide with the aim of improving the quality of pharmaceutical services in premises across the 36 states including the FCT.
RN