Lagos State Government Reveals Why 24 Pharmacies and Patent Medicine Stores Was Sealed
Lagos State Government stated that it has sealed 24 pharmacies and patent
medicine stores in various parts of the state for illegal operation and
operating beyond scope of pharmaceutical practice.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, the state Commissioner for Health, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, December 11th in Lagos saying the enforcement was part of the mandates of the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit (PIU) of the ministry to end the ugly trend of unqualified personnel handling drugs.
He said that the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were sealed
for operating without licence; engaging unqualified persons to man and dispense
drugs to unsuspecting citizens and operating beyond scope through the sale of
unethical products.
Other offences, the commissioner said, included displaying and storing drugs in unconducive environments, thus compromising the potency of the drugs and rendering them ineffective.
He further explained that some of the premises visited were engaging in
illegal clinical practices, such as patient admission and setting of
intravenous infusions, both of which, he said, were unacceptable. Abayomi said
that government would continue to insist that the environment for the
dispensation of medical care be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of
good health for citizens.
He noted that the enforcement was coming on the heels of the war being
waged against fake drugs and illegal drug shops. Abayomi said that the
activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would not only be sustained,
but further intensified until operators in the sector adhered strictly to the
provisions of the law on the operation of pharmacies and patent medicine
shops.
He added that only licensed patent medicine vendors were authorised to sell
drugs in their original packs and in approved pack sizes, as produced by the
manufacturing companies.
According to him, the law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by
patent medicine vendors and wholesalers operating outside their scope by
selling drugs in retail. Abayomi said that government would not relent in its
efforts at stopping the inherent dangers associated with the operations of
unlicensed pharmaceutical outlets and drug shops.
The affected stores were situated at Abule Egba, Alagbado, Kola, Meiran,
Ekoro and Oko-Oba, all in Ifako Ijaiye and Alimosho Local Government areas of
Lagos respectively.
The enforcement was effected by the State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake
Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, in collaboration with the National
Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Others were Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society
of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on Fake Drugs and the police officers from
Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of the Lagos Police
Command.