The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) said it has sealed about 751 medicine outlets in Gombe State over illegal practices and violation of PCN’s operational rules and procedures.
PCN’s Director of Enforcement, Mr Stephen Esumobifsi, disclosed this to newsmen in Gombe after a five-day exercise across five local government areas of the state.
He said the sealing of the premises, followed an earlier directive by the federal government, which prohibited selling of medicines in open drug markets in the country.
He explained that the enforcement team of PCN had, during the exercise, visited open drug markets and other locations within Gombe—the state capital, Akko, Billiri, Funakaye and Yamaltu-Deba local government areas of the state.
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He added that, “At the end of the exercise, a total of 1,001 premises were visited, out of which 751 premises were sealed off in five out of the 11 LGAs where violations were more pronouncing.
“The sealed premises are made up of 39 pharmacies, 128 patent medicine shops and 584 illegal medicine shops.”
According to him, the outlets were sealed for offences ranging from sale of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with the PCN, poor documentation, poor storage facilities and stocking of ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist among others.
The director lamented that one of the major obstacles to maintaining the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria is the sale of medicines in open drug markets.
