Council Seals 131 Drugs Stores In Nasarawa

Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) has made significant strides in its efforts to purge the drugs supply chains of unwholesome practices through regulatory enforcement.

To this end, it said that 131 pharmaceutical premises were sealed over the course of a 3-day surveillance and enforcement activities across Nasarawa State.

Its head of enforcement, Dr Suleiman Chiroma, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the development in Karu, yesterday.

He said the closure include 16 wholesalers, 31 community pharmacies, 51 patent medicine stores, and 32 unlicensed premises.

“Additionally, 7 compliance directives were issued, and one pharmacist was arrested for obstructing inspectors in the execution of their statutory duties,” he noted.

Ciroma noted that the affected facilities failed to comply with regulatory requirements which included failure to produce a licence or evidence of registration upon demand, engaging in clinical practice, operation of unlicensed premises, unauthorised access to the poison cupboard, amongst other offences.

According to him, 70 percent of the affected premises were domiciled in Karu local government area of the state.

He said the team noted with dismay the absence of pharmacists in most of the facilities visited leaving operational responsibilities to attendants who possess limited knowledge and expertise in pharmaceutical practice.

“The inspection team noted with concern that 70% of pharmacists were absent from the 86 community pharmacies visited, thereby compromising the quality of pharmaceutical care provided to the public.

“Furthermore, 61% of community pharmacies failed to display their licence as mandated by law. Although 66% of vendors were present at the 118 patent medicine stores inspected, a significant Proportion were engaged in activities that exceed the scope of their licensure, a practice deemed unacceptable,” he said.

Ciroma advised members of the public to procure medicinal products exclusively from premises that have undergone inspection, garnered approval and obtained registration, identifiable by the prominent display of their respective licences.