…Includes 352 patent medicine stores
By Hadiza Yusuf
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, has sealed 797 premises, including 437 illegal drug outlets and 352 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor, PPMV, stores, during a four-day enforcement exercise across Kano State.
The council disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Kano on the outcome of the second phase of its enforcement exercise aimed at sanitising the state’s drug distribution system.
Speaking at the briefing, the Head of Enforcement Department, Suleiman S. Chiroma, who represented the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the operation was carried out in line with the National Drug Policy and National Drug Distribution Guidelines.
According to him, the enforcement covered 28 local government areas, including Bichi, Tsanyawa, Gwarzo, Wudil, Gaya, Ajingi, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Ungogo, Bebeji, Gezawa, Dambatta, Makoda, Minjibir, Rano and Bunkure.
Chiroma said inspectors visited 1,153 premises during the exercise, comprising 16 pharmacies, 700 patent medicine stores and 437 illegal outlets.
He said the council sealed 797 premises, including eight pharmacies, 352 patent medicine stores and all 437 illegal outlets identified during the operation.
In addition, six compliance directives were issued to operators found to have violated regulatory requirements.
Chiroma said many of the affected premises were operating without registration, while some patent medicine vendors were found stocking ethical medicines, injectables and intravenous infusions beyond the scope of medicines they were authorised to sell.
He added that inspectors also discovered poor record-keeping, improper signage, poor hygiene and poisonous substances accessible to non-pharmacists at some of the outlets.
The council also shut down the illegal drug cluster at Dalan Gyada on Katsina Road.
“I wish to bring to the attention of the good people of Kano State that the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines sold at the Dalan Gyada illegal drug cluster cannot be guaranteed,” Chiroma said.
He noted that all 437 illegal premises identified during the operation were sealed in line with the law.
Chiroma urged residents to obtain medicines only from premises licensed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
“Members of the public are urged to obtain medicines exclusively from premises licensed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. The display of a valid and current licence is mandatory and confirms that the facility is duly authorised to operate,” he said.
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