A total 395 premises including 12 illegal pharmacies and 383 patent medicine stores have been sealed by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).

Their offences range from operating without registration with the council, failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of pharmacist and poor sanitary conditions among others.

In the latest enforcement exercises, officials of the regulatory agency visited 414 business premises.

The council’s director inspection and monitoring Anthonia Aruya disclosed that one arrest was also made for breaking of seal which according to her is a criminal offence.

“Some of the premises stored products in very dirty environments where the quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products cannot be guaranteed thus, exposing the public to serious danger. Others do not have the requisite knowledge or know how to handle the highly ethical drugs in their facilities,” she said.

“The National Assembly has given PCN a matching order to close down all illegal premises nationwide. The Act of the National Assembly has given PCN added impetus to intensify efforts at sensitising the drug distribution chain. Furthermore, the Minister of health recently directed the PCN to ensure that all warehouses and locations where drugs are stored, sold, distributed or dispensed are registered with PCN. One of the core mandates of the council s to ensure rational distribution and dispensing of medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality to the public” Aruya said.

She therefore advised members of the public to purchase their medicines from licensed pharmacies and simple household remedies from licensed patent and propriety medicines vendor shops. (Daily Trust)

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