PCN seals 381 medicine stores in A’Ibom

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria said on Friday that its enforcement team had sealed 381 pharmacies and patent shops in Akwa Ibom for various offences.

The Director and Head of Enforcement Department, Stephen Esumobi, made this known while briefing newsmen in Uyo, the state capital.

He said most of affected shops were sealed for offences such as operating without registration or renewal of premises certificates, unauthorised sales of medicines, and poor access control to the poison cupboard.

Others offences included poor storage facilities and temperature control, stocking and sale of prescription, and other ethical products by the patent medicine vendors.

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He said that the enforcement team, in continuation of the current drive by the council to streamline the drug distribution system, visited 727 premises comprising 559 patent medicine shops and 168 pharmacies.

Esumobi said, “The PCN enforcement team has been in Akwa Ibom State since the beginning of the week in continuation of the current drive by the council to streamline the drug distribution system in the country.

“The team visited the following local government areas; Uyo and it environ, Ikono, Abak, Itu, Eket, Ibesikpo/Asutan, Ikot Ekpene and Oron. At the end of the exercise. At the end of the exercise a total of 727 premises were visited. This comprises 559 patents medicines shops and 168 pharmacies.

“A total of 381 premises were sealed, comprising of 52 pharmacies and 329 patent medicine stores. A total of 16 compliance directives were issued.

“All registered premises are expected to display their current premises certificates or evidence of registration conspicuously within the premises to enable members of the public to know the status of premises where they buy their medicine.

“Premises certificates shall be renewed on or before 31st January every year and it is an offence for any premises to operate without registration or renewal of their premises certificates.

“In enforcing the PCN laws, the primary areas of focus of the PCN enforcement team are premises, personnel, and practice. It is an offence for any stakeholder to operate a pharmaceutical business in a location that has not been approved by PCN.”