Pharmacists council seals off 123 drugstores in Osun

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off no fewer than 123 drugstores in various parts of Osun State for engaging in illegal sale of medicines in the state. The Director of Inspection and Monitoring Department of PCN, Mrs  Anthonia Aruya, who disclosed this in Osogbo, the state capital, explained  that the development was […]

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off no fewer than 123 drugstores in various parts of Osun State for engaging in illegal sale of medicines in the state.
The Director of Inspection and Monitoring Department of PCN, Mrs  Anthonia Aruya, who disclosed this in Osogbo, the state capital, explained  that the development was part of the measures aimed at ensuring safe  consumption of effective and quality drugs by Nigerians.
She said the quality and safety of medicines found at the sealed drugstores could not be guaranteed while the pharmaceutical activities carried out in those drugstores were not in line with PCN guidelines.
“Our office received reports of the activities of unregistered premises, which engaged in the illegal sale of medicines in Osun State, hence our resolve to crack down on these shops, with a view to safeguarding the people,” she said.
Mrs Aruya lamented that some of the registered premises were selling beyond their approved lists or keeping and stocking highly ethical and controlled substances in a manner that violated laid down regulations to the detriment of the citizenry.
While contending that the trend could impact negatively on the health of the people if allowed to continue, Aruya said “at the end of the exercise, a total number of 142 premises were visited while 123 premises were sealed which comprise of 13 pharmacies, 109 patent medicine shops for offences ranging from unauthorised sale of medicine and operating without the supervision of a pharmacist, among others”.
She emphasised that one of the core mandates of the PCN was to ensure rational distribution of medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality, explaining that in carrying out this mandate, “PCN established structures such as the Pharmaceutical Inspection Committee (PIC) in all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”