The Bauchi State chapter of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), has sealed 571 pharmacies and medicine shops for selling fake, expired and illicit drugs across 10 local government areas in the state
PCN Director of Enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, who made this disclosure while briefing newsmen shortly after the enforcement on pharmaceutical premises and medicine shops in Bauchi, lamented that the rate of sale of hard substances was alarming in the state, adding that the Council would work with other relevant agencies to break the network of circulation.
According to him, the council visited Bauchi, Tafawa Balewa, Darazo, Ganjuwa, Alkaleri, Dambam, Kirfi, Ningi, Toro and Dass local government areas.
“At the end of the exercise, a total of 762 premises were visited. This is made up of 88 pharmacies, 284 patent medicine shops and 390 illegal premises. Of these, 37 pharmacies, 144 patent medicine shops, and 390 illegal outlets were found in violation of regulatory standards and were subsequently sealed.
“Illegal medicine dealers were also found to engage in the sale of large quantities of substances of abuse to members of the public especially within the state capital thus aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of these medicines.
“Also some patent medicine stores within Bauchi matropolis were found to be stocking large quantities of used needles and syringes which are suspected to be re-used or sold to other medicine dealers operating in the rural areas,” Esumobi said.
Esumobi said in 2022 the PCN enforcement team visited the state and some medicine outlets were sealed for operating in breach of our laws and regulations, just as he also noted that the council took steps to correct anomalies observed on those premises.
“The PCN staff met with owners of such premises and most of them gave assurance that they will comply with our laws and regulations. The PCN through our state and zonal offices in Bauchi took steps to guide owners of medicine shops on steps they needed to take to operate in line with the laws.
“However in spite of this during the current enforcement exercise showed that many of these premises did not take steps to improve their storage facilities,” he added.
Esumobi further disclosed that other breaches committed by owners of pharmaceutical premises include operating without registration and non-renewal of premises certificates, poor documentation, patent medicine vendors stocking medicines outside the approved drug list and carrying out clinical services, wholesalers engaging in retail, pharmacies operating without a superintendent pharmacist.
