Pharmacists’ council seals off 234 drug outlets in Oyo

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 234 drug stores in Oyo State for allegedly selling medicines above the approved list for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) and non-registration with the council.

The seal off came after the inspection and enforcement exercise was carried out by the council in keeping with its responsibility of regulating and controlling the practice of pharmacy in Nigeria.

The PCN Director and Head of Department, Inspection and Monitoring, Anthonia Aruya, at a media briefing on the visit of the PCN enforcement team to the state, said 269 facilities were visited in Ibadan town, Iseyin, Oyo, Saki and the Eruwa/Igboora axis during the week.

Aruya said that 222 of the sealed drug stores were run by PPMVs and 12 by pharmacists, adding that 11 facilities were given compliance directives.

Aruya, flanked at the meeting by South West Zonal Head of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), South West, Mrs Yeyide Oseni and the Deputy Director, Enforcement, PCN, Mr. Stephen Esumobi, said the ongoing national inspection and enforcement exercise had been to 10 other states, including Kwara, Ekiti, Rivers, Cross River and Taraba.

She said that the activities of the unapproved drug sales outlets in the country constitute serious danger to the health of the nation.

According to her, “the situation on the ground is that a good number of these PPMVs do not want to submit to regulation, neither do they appreciate the delicate nature of the critical services rendered by them that directly affects life.”

She also called on members of the public to be mindful of where they buy drugs and the condition of the medicines, urging that the public should only visit PCN-registered outlets for their drug needs.

According to Aruya, “they are to look out for licences issued by the PCN.

Individuals have the right to ask for pharmacists on duty or holders of the PPMV licence when they get into any drug outlet.”