PCN seals 247 medicine stores

By Kemi Olatunde
|
For operating against the law  guiding the operation of National Drug Pharmacists and patient medicine stores Distribution Guideline of the Federal Government, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria(PCN) has clamped down eight pharmacies and 247 patient medicine shops in Ondo State.

The offences  of the affected pharmacists include  poor handling of controlled substances,sale and dispensing of drugs without the supervision of pharmacists,  unhygienic environment and poor documentation among others.

Mrs Anthonia Aruya,  the Director, Inspection  and Monitoring of PCN stated this during a press conference in Akure.

According to her, the inspection exercise became a necessity  to ensure sanity in drug related activities in the state, noting that the council is bent on ensuring that stakeholders do the needful within the stipulated pharmaceutical laws.

“At the end of the exercise in the State,  a total of 339 premises were visited but eight pharmacies and 247 patent medicine shops were sealed of for various offences,” she revealed.

She added that seven pharmaceutical premises were issued compliance directives.

“PCN is empowered to regulate premises where drugs are manufactured, sold and the warehouses including distribution and we also regulate personnel who are dealing with drugs.

“Our activities are not punitive, but corrective in ensuring that things are done well in order to  protect the public. Patient is our target and everything must be done to safeguard his health,” she said.

The director called on stakeholders to support PCN in order to sanitise drug activities in the interest and  betterment of public safety.

She appreciated the state Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police and the press for their continuous collaboration with PCN.