In a bid to ensure that residents are protected from consuming counterfeit and fake drugs, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday clamped down on some pharmaceutical and patent stores in the Satellite Towns of the Territory, to enforce compliance with laid down operational standards.
The FCTA, through its Task force on Counterfeit and Fake drugs, went around patent stores and pharmacy stores, where officials looked at the storage conditions of drugs and removed drugs not registered by NAFDAC, which are regarded as fake, to ensure residents don’t have access to them.
In particular, the team, accompanied by some policemen stormed and sealed Chikamsi Pharmacy and Stores Ltd and e-Health Pharmacy and Stores Ltd, White House Plaza, near Karu Market, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). A compliance directive was issued and drugs were confiscated for not having NAFDAC no or beyond their operative threshold.
Also, the team inspected Palax medicine store, Odera Pharmacy ltd, Helium Medical Services Ltd, and Steps Pharmacy ltd, all located along Nyana-Jikwoyi road, Karu.
Explaining the exercise, the Head of Pharmaceutical Inspectorate of the Health and Human Services Secretariat(HHSS), Aje Oitu Oga, said it aims at ensuring that there is compliance with good pharmaceutical practice in the FCT.
Oga, who stood in for the Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Department, added that the raid is also to ensure that the conditions under which drugs are kept and sold are hygienic and conducive.
“We have NAFDAC as a member of the Taskforce to ensure that they go round the drugs on the counters in every pharmacy or patent medicine shop. So far, in all the shops we have gone to, less than 1% don’t have a problem, it is not always punitive but corrective measures are taken to ensure compliance, as we told them the right thing to do, and they complied. While most of the places we went to, the pharmacists were not on the ground, and a compliance directive was issued, as they are supposed to render services to the community.
“And if your premises is sealed, you will ensure that you meet all the laid down conditions for operating such business, then we go and unseal the premises. My advice to residents is that they should patronise only registered pharmacy shops and healthcare facilities spread across the area councils for primary healthcare services. People need to shun patronising patent medicine dealers, except when they cannot do otherwise”, he stressed
Similarly, the Director, in charge of the Abuja Zonal of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Peter Iliya, noted that the risk of having non-complying drugs outlets is that one may not be sure of the quality of products and services available to the people.
Iliya, a statutory member of the Taskforce, opined that “the compliance level in FCT is not optimal, so there is much room for improvement. And for those who are complying, we commend them, and we encourage them to continue to keep complying as excellence is supposed to be the ultimate goal of any professional practice.
“But for those, who don’t comply, they should be warned that the arms of the law will catch up with them. As the wheel of justice may be slow, but surely, and steadfastly, it will grind to its final destination with devastating consequences for those who are doing the wrong thing.”
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