……issues compliance directive to 16 others

Pharmacist Council of Nigeria

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, has sealed 387 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in Benue state for alleged poor handling of controlled substances, sale and dispensing of ethical/prescription drugs without the supervision of a pharmacist, unhygienic environment and poor documentation.

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The council also issued compliance directives to 16 other premises comprising of three pharmacies and 13 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors, PPMV, at the end of its week-long enforcement activities in the state.

The Director, Inspection and monitoring of PCN, Mrs. Antonia Aruya who made this known yesterday at the end of the operation in Makurdi said the exercise was aimed at sanitizing the system for better pharmaceutical services delivery to the people of the state and Nigerians in general.

According to her, “at the end of the exercise, a total of 556 premises were visited comprising 84 pharmacies and 472 patent medicine shops.

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“A total of 387 premises were sealed comprising of 44 pharmacies and 343 patent medicine shops.16 premises comprising of three pharmacies and 13 PPMV shops were issued compliance directives.”

She stated that enforcement was carried out across the state in compliance with the provisions of PCN ACT Cap P17; LFN, 2005 and also in line with the National Drug Distribution Guideline of the Federal Government (NDDG).

She stated that “the enforcement exercise is geared at streamlining the drug distribution value chain to promote the provision of safe, effective and quality medicines distributed along registered and currently licensed premises.

“These practice areas include manufacturing, distribution, wholesale, retail, hospital pharmacies and the Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors’ shops.

“We advise the general public to always ask for the registration status of facilities where they access their medicines by requesting for the current licenses issued by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria from any pharmaceutical outlet to safeguard themselves from patronizing quacks.”

Vanguard News