By Sola Ogundipe
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed up 216 drug outlets comprising 30 pharmacies and 186 patent medicine stores, for offences ranging from operating without registration, failure to renew premises licenses and dispensing ethical drugs without supervision of pharmacists.

Disclosing this to pressmen weekend, the Director and Head of Inspection and Monitoring, PCN, Pharm Anthonia Aruya, said 43 other outlets were issued compliance directives for poor sanitary conditions, poor documentation among others.

Aruya said on the whole, 356 pharmaceutical outlets were visited consisting 222 patient medicine stores and 134 pharmacies were visited during the exercise carried last week out by the PCN enforcement team in parts of Lagos not covered in the last exercise held in August.

She said the PCN is determined to uphold the laws that regulate the practice of Pharmacy in Nigeria as the Federal government will not tolerate the indiscriminate sale of drugs without submission to regulatory control.

“The public is advised to purchase their medicines from licensed Pharmacies and simple household remedies from licensed Patent and Propriety medicines vendor shops.

Further, she urged those intending to carry out pharmaceutical business to get in touch with the PCN head office located at Plot 7/9, Idu Industrial Layout, Abuja or any of the state offices for proper guidance.

“Before a pharmaceutical premises commences operation it must fulfill certain conditions in line with the PCN guidelines. First the premises is expected to apply for location approval.

This is because not every location is suitable for Pharmaceutical business. When the location is approved the premises will put the necessary structure in place for facility inspection.

She said the facility inspection is carried out to ensure that the right storage environment in terms of temperature, relative humidity and proper hygiene is maintained to preserve the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic integrity of the medicines.

“The inspection ensures that other conditions that will promote good pharmaceutical services delivery are in place. Also the premises is expected to have a pharmacist to supervise the dispensing of ethical products to members of the public.