- Attributes Proliferation of iillegal Practices to weak laws in Nigeria
Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 308 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in 13 Local Government Areas of Benue state for operating without adherence to laid down guidelines.
The Director, Enforcement PCN, Mr Stephen Esumobi, revealed this on Thursday at a press conference in Makurdi on the outcome of PCN enforcement exercise in the state.
Esumobi lamented that lack of requisite regulations, and the prevailence of weak laws guiding pharmaceutical practice in Nigeria, was largely responsible for the proliferation of medicine shops and quacks in the system.
“Our laws regulating medicine practice in Nigeria are very weak. Although, it is currently undergoing review and once it is concluded, pass into law, it will address the problem of proliferation of illegal shops.
“In Benue State, the enforcement exercise was carried out in Makurdi, Guma, Gwer East, Gwer West, Tarka, Gboko, Ushongo, Otukpo, Ukum, Logo, Oju, Obi and Ohimini LGAs.
“The team was in the state for one week, visited the above mentioned areas and our observation from the field indicated that so many of the premises commenced operations without approval while a large number of registered premises do not bother to renew their liences.
“Most of these premises have not met requirements with respect to location, storage and personnel. At the end of the exercise, 446 premises, comprising 332 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Shop(PPMVs) and 113 pharmacies were identify. However, 308 pharmacies and patent medicine shops were thereafter sealed”, Esumobi stated.
He explained that the premises were sealed for offences such as poor sanitary conditions, poor documentation and non- display of premises and pharmacists annual licences., amongst others.
According to him, the aim of the exercise was to ensure that all premises where medicines were sold met the conditions with respect to location, storage facilities, environment, documentation and personnel as well as being duly registered.
“We advise the general public to buy their medicines and simple household remedies from licensed pharmacies and patent medicine stores,’’ he counseled.
He said that the body had mutual working relationship with the law enforcement agencies and synergy with other regulatory agencies such as NAFDAC to ensure that genuine drugs are stored in shops for purchase by consumers.
Esumobi disclosed that many genuine drugs had become substandard and degraded due to improper handling and inadequate storage and urged shop owners to always preserve their drugs in the right atmosphere.
The director, on Registrar of the council, Mr Elijah Muhammad thanked the state ministry of health, the Nigeria Police and NSCDC for their continuous collaboration with the pharmacist council of Nigeria.
