PCN Seals 443 Pharmacies, Medicine Shops In Taraba

The Pharmacy Council Of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed a total of 443 pharmacies and patent medicine shops for various offences across 9 local government areas of Taraba State.

In a press briefing by PCN’s head of enforcement, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma in Jalingo, Taraba state capital on Thursday, the enforcement was conducted in 4 days by the inspection team.

Chiroma said out of the 443 premises, 48 pharmacies and 395 patent medicine shops were sealed for various offences while 10 premises were issued with compliance directives.

He said some of offences the pharmacies and patent shops were found guilty include operating illegally, non-renewal of premises registration, clinical practice, access to controlled medicine by unauthorised persons, over-stocking beyond the approved patent medicine list, training of apprentice and retailing by wholesale premises.

He said during the exercise, the team targeted at rooting out unqualified persons in the pharmaceutical practice and stamp out the unprofessional handling of medicines by persons not recognised by the PCN Act.

“The hierarchical and sequential flow of drug distribution from manufacturing/importation up to the end user as stipulated by the National Drug Distribution Guidelines must be enforced, if access to self and effective medicine is to be achieved in Nigeria,” Chiroma stated.

The local government areas inspected by the PCN in Taraba include Sadauna, Gashaka, Kurmi, Bali, Ardo-Kola, Jalingo, Zing, Lau and Yoro.