Pharmacy Council seals 501 illegal medicine stores, arrests 2

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria says it has sealed 501 shops belonging to illegal operators in Plateau State and arrested two persons.

Director of Enforcement of the council, Pharmacist Stephen Esumobi, who spoke in Jos, said the shutting down of the stores followed the visit to 701 premises within the Jos metropolis.

Esumobi said the council, which is a federal government parastatal charged with the responsibility of regulation, control, education, training and practice of pharmacy in all its aspects and ramifications in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022, will stop at nothing in sanitising the pharmacy industry of bad eggs.

“The enforcement team of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has been in Plateau State from 13th to 16th May 2024 and visited medical premises within the state capital and environs.

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“This is made up of 167 pharmacies, 224 patent medicine shops and 310 illegal premises.

“Among the premises sealed for various offences were 74 pharmacies, 117 patent medicine shops and 310 illegal medical shops.

“The affected practitioners were clamped down for offenses such as sale of medicines in the open drug markets, operating without registration with Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, non-renewal of premises certificates, non-pharmacists having access and dispensing controlled medicines.”