PCN Seals 751 Pharmacies, Patent Medicines Shops In Gombe

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 751 medicine shops in parts of Gombe State for failing to meet requirements of the council.

PCN director of enforcement Stephen Esumobi disclosed this during a press conference at the Gombe State office of the council where he said the affected premises include 39 pharmacies, 128 patent medicine shops and 584 illegal medicine shops.

According to him, they were sealed for offences ranging from operating without registration with PCN, poor documentation, poor storage facilities, stocking of ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist and sale of medicines in the open market.

Stephen pointed out that patent medicine shops are only permitted to sell over the counter drugs (drugs that need no prescription) adding that even with pharmacies that are authorised to sell ethical drug (drugs with written prescriptions), there should always be a pharmacist available who can read prescriptions and give the buyer according to the prescriptions.

He said the sealed shops violated such guidelines, hence the intervention of the council with a view to safeguarding public health and lives.

“One major obstacle to maintaining the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria is the sale of medicines in open drugs markets. The medicine shops in Gombe open drug market and some other locations across the state are not registered by the PCN and are operating illegally.

“Also, the premises do not have pharmacists to supervise the sale of ethical medicines and other medicines with narrow margin of safety, thus exposing consumers to harmful consequences of the wrong use of these medicines.”, he explained.