PCN shuts 373 pharmacies, patent stores in Ogun

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) on Friday, said it has sealed up no fewer than 373 pharmacies and patent medicine stores in various parts the Ogun State, as part of effort to sanitize drug distribution chain.

Disclosing this was the Director, Inspection and Monitoring of the Council, Dr (Mrs) Anthonia Aruya, at a news conference, held at the Conference Room, Federal Secretariat, Abeokuta, that 15 pharmacies and 358 patent stores operating illegally were locked up for operating without registration, non-renewal of premises license, dispensing ethical products among others.

Aruba said the exercise was part of efforts by the Council to prevent the populace from buying drugs from unregistered outlets, as a way of improving on the level of pharmaceutical service delivery to the people of the state.

Aruya said further, “The PCN enforcement teams have been in Ogun state from the beginning of the week. What we observed in Ogun state is that so many premises commenced operations without fulfilling minimum requirements for registration while others failed to renew their license to operate such shops.

“Some of these premises store products in environment where quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products cannot be guaranteed. This exposes the public to serious danger. Others do not have the requisite knowledge of know-how to handle the highly ethical drugs in their facilities. This exercise is part of efforts by the PCN to reverse this ugly trend and improve on the level of pharmaceutical service delivery to the people in the state”.

She, therefore, urged members of the public to ensure they purchase medicines from registered pharmacies and simple household remedies from licensed patent stores warning people to desist from starting pharmaceutical business without proper documentation with PCN.