The Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN), has sealed 434 medicine shops caught in unethical practices.
The enforcement arm of the PCN said the medicine shops sealed were those selling prohibited drugs, operating without licences, and those who are using expired licences.
Director of enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi who made this known in a press conference in Jos noted that the action became necessary in view of the connection between drugs and insecurity.
According to Esumobi,, “The national enforcement team of the PCN has been in Plateau since the beginning of the week on enforcement exercise and at the end of it, a total of 641 premises comprising 208 pharmacies and 433 patent medicine shops were visited.
“A total of 433 made up of 115 pharmacies and 319 patent medicine shops were sealed for various offences some of which include operating without registration with the PCN, failure to renew premises licence, dispensing ethical products including substance abuse.
“Two vendors were arrested for breaking PCN seals.”
He said, “Uncontrolled access to the substance of abuse has contributed in no small ways to the security challenges across the country. This is because most criminal elements in society take this drug as a confidence booster before carrying out their activities.
The council observed that many wholesale pharmacies and patent medicine shops are not licensed by PCN and have been operating illegally.
In an effort to address these challenges, the PCN has strengthened the Pharmaceutical Inspection Committee and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor’s Licence Committee nationwide to enhance inspection and monitoring activities.
“Also enforcement activities have been stepped up to ensure that all unregistered premises are closed down.
These unregistered promises have become channels for the illegal distribution and sale of substances of abuse to members of the public including those with criminal intentions.
He lamented that the primary goal of these illegal premises is profit and they do not have regard for the safety of the public who patronize them.