The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) on Thursday, closed 358 pharmacies and patent medicine stores operating within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The PCN Registrar, Ibrahim Ahmed disclosed this, while detailing the sealing of 90 pharmacies and 268 licenced medicine stores, out of a total of 584 places visited in the course of carrying out the enforcement exercise which commenced on Monday and ended Thursday.
“At the end of the current enforcement exercise in FCT, a total of 584 premises were visited. This comprises 185 pharmacies and 399 premises made up of 90 pharmacies and 268 patent medicine shops were sealed for various offenses, some of which include operating without registration with PCN, failure to renew premises license.”
The registrar explained that some of the places visited were supplying ethical products with no form of supervision from a physician, while some were found in poor sanitary conditions.
He also revealed that some of the medicine store owners were apprehended during the exercise for trying to outsmart the PCN.
“Four patent medicine vendors were arrested. Three of them were arrested for breaking PCN seals and one for displaying fake patent medicines vendor licence in his shop,” he said.
Ahmed called on the general public to be wary of the types of medicines they buy for consumption, as most openly displayed drugs could pose serious danger to the body, resulting in poor health.
He added that the Abuja Zonal Office of the PCN has received directives to give necessary sensitisation/ guidance to all persons intending to delve into the pharmaceutical business within Abuja.
