Following an enforcement exercise conducted by the pharmacists’ council of Nigeria PCN in Kaduna, five hundred and eighty-eight patent and proprietary medicine vendor’s shops and the premises of sixty-two pharmacists have been sealed.
Registrar of the Council, Dr. Elizah Mohammed confirmed this at a press briefing after the enforcement exercise in Kaduna, Zaria, and environs to fish out those operating below standard.
The Registrar who was represented by Director Enforcement regretted that the affected premises were sealed for selling medicines without regard to laid down guidelines as the law also caught up with unregistered or registered dealers operating beyond approved scope thereby exposing members of the public to a lot of risks.
Dr. Elizah further confirmed that the activities of many medicine dealers had contributed to the current security challenges in the country, stressing that some regulated medicines often fall into the hands of criminal elements who take such to boost their confidence.
The PCN boss affirmed that the council would ensure full implementation of the National Drugs Distribution Guidelines and at the same time activate its monitoring structures across the country to deal with medicine dealers who were aiding criminal elements.
Dr. Mohammed submitted that the action of the Council became necessary in order to ensure that facilities offer acceptable services in line with PCN guidelines.
He advised members of the public to source their medicines from registered and licensed pharmacies adding that unregistered outlets are not safe in view of poor handling and exposure of medicines to environmental factors that degrade them.
Cov/Awuhe Terfa, Kaduna
