From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed over 666 medicine shops in Kaduna and Zaria of Kaduna State over illegal operations.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Director Enforcement, PCN, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi further disclosed that the shops were sealed for offences ranging from sale of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with pharmacy council of Nigeria, Poor documentation and Poor storage facilities.
Esumobi added that the shops were sealed also for stocking of Ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, Wholesalers engaging in retail activities, non- pharmacists having access to poison cupboards, patent medicine shops engaging in clinical practice and training apprentices among others.
He said the enforcement exercise began early this week, relevant stakeholders, including the medicine dealers in open drug markets in Zaria and Kaduna were communicated severally on the need to relocate to registrable locations or a coordinated wholesale centre as their activities are in total violation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines.
“At the end of the enforcement exercise which began early this week, a total of eight hundred and ninety five (895) premises were visited. This is made up of seventy five (75) pharmacies, five hundred and fourteen (514) Patent medicine shops and three hundred and six (306) illegal premises . A total of six hundred and sixty six (666) premises were sealed .
“The premises sealed include forty seven (47) pharmacies, three hundred and thirteen (313) Patent medicine shops and three hundred and six (306) illegal medicine shops. They were sealed for offences ranging from sale of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with pharmacy council of Nigeria, Poor documentation, Poor storage facilities, Stocking of Ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, Wholesalers engaging in retail activities, non- pharmacists having access to poison cupboards, patent medicine shops engaging in clinical practice and training apprentices among others. Nine (9) compliance directives were issued. The PC office in Kaduna will render all necessary assistance to owners of sealed shops who are willing to comply with regulations.
“Also, the premises do not have pharmacists to supervise the sale of ethical medicines and other medicines with narrow margin of safety thus exposing consumers to harmful consequences of the wrong use of these medicines. Furthermore, most of these medicine dealers engage in the illegal sale of substances of abuse to members of the public thus aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of these medicines.
“For medicines to achieve optimal therapeutic outcome, they must maintain their physico-chemical and therapeutic properties as they transit from the manufacturer or importer through the various levels of the distribution chain to the end users.
“One major obstacle militating against the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria is the sale of medicines in open drug markets .The medicine shops in the open drug markets and some other locations across the Kaduna state are not registered by the PC and are operating illegally.
“The storage conditions for medicines in these premises are poor as medicines are stored at temperature and humidity conditions that are at variance with manufacturers recommendations.
“The implication of this is that most of the medicines sold in these locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients. Some of the products of degradation of these medicines are harmful thus posing a threat to public health.
“The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria had communicated severally with the relevant stakeholders in the state including the medicine dealers in open drug markets in Zaria and Kaduna city on the need to relocate to registrable locations or a coordinated wholesale centre as their activities are in total violation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines,” Esumobi said.
He noted that, “The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PC) is the Federal Government
Parastatal charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the education, training and practice of pharmacy in all its aspects and ramifications in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022.
“One of the core mandates of the PC is ensuring rational distribution and dispensing of medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality at all levels of the health care delivery system in Nigeria.”
