Not less than 471 Pharmaceutical and patent medicine shops that breached Pharmaceutical practices and regulations in parts of Edo State has been closed down by the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Addressing a press conference after its one-week operation in the Edo South Senatorial District and also to mark World Pharmacists Day, Registrar of PCN, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the PCN would continue to entrench its cardinal focus of Practice, Premises and Personnel in pharmaceutical practice in the country.
Represented by the Head of Enforcement PCN, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, the PCN boss said the closures were carried out in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Ovia North-East, Egor and Uhunmwonde local government areas in Edo South.
According to him, “A total of 743 premises, comprising 196 pharmacies and 547 patent medicine stores, were inspected. One individual was arrested for obstructing PCN inspectors in the discharge of their duties.
“Consequently, a total of 471 premises were sealed for contravening relevant regulations, including 77 pharmacies, 174 patent medicine stores, and 220 unlicensed shops. Furthermore, four premises were served with compliance directives, necessitating corrective actions to address identified non-compliances.”
Represented by the Head of Enforcement PCN, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, the PCN boss said the closures were carried out in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Ovia North-East, Egor and Uhunmwonde local government areas in Edo South.
According to him, “A total of 743 premises, comprising 196 pharmacies and 547 patent medicine stores, were inspected. One individual was arrested for obstructing PCN inspectors in the discharge of their duties.
“Consequently, a total of 471 premises were sealed for contravening relevant regulations, including 77 pharmacies, 174 patent medicine stores, and 220 unlicensed shops. Furthermore, four premises were served with compliance directives, necessitating corrective actions to address identified non-compliances.”
He said during the enforcement exercise, various regulatory breaches including operation of unlicensed premises, non-compliance with premises registration renewal requirements, unauthorised clinical practice, unauthorised access to controlled substances, stockholding more than approved limits as stipulated in the Patent Medicine List, training of apprentices, and wholesalers indulging in retail operations in contravention of their licensure terms were noticed.
