Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 38 pharmacies and 271 patent medicine shops, totalling 309 medicine premises in Ogun State for various offences.
The PCN Registrar, Elijah Mohammed, made this known on Thursday evening in Abeokuta, while addressing newsmen on the council’s efforts at sanitising the sector in the state.
Mohammed, represented by the PCN’s Director, Enforcement, Abuja, Stephen Esumobi, said a total of 492 premises were visited during the enforcement exercise.
He said premises were sealed off in Abeokuta, Ilaro, Sango – Ota, Ifo, Iperu – Remo, Sagamu, Ikenne, Odogbolu, Ijebu – Ode, Ilese, Ibafo, Mowe, Ofada among others.
According to him, the offences allegedly committed range from operating without registration with PCN; failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage and sanitary conditions.
Mohammed said the exercise was meant to ensure “that all premises where medicines are sold are registered, having fulfilled conditions with respect to location, storage facilities, environment, documentation, and personnel.”
The PCN Registrar further noted that the sealing off the medicine premises was not a punitive measure, but a move to ensure pharmacies and patent medicine shops owners operate in line with the PCN’s dictates in order not to put the lives of Nigerians in danger.
“At the end of the enforcement exercise, a total of 492 premises comprising 109 Pharmacies and 383 Patent Medicine Shops were visited.
“A total of 309 premises made up of 38 Pharmacies and 271 Patent Medicine Shops were sealed for various offences some of which include operating without registration with Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage and sanitary conditions among others. 41 Pharmacies and Patent Medicine Shops were issued compliance directives,” Mohammed stated.