By Kenneth Onuoha
A total of 348 pharmacy outlets have been sealed in Ebonyi State by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) for various offences.
The Registrar of PCN, Pharmacist N.A.E Mohammed, disclosed this at a news conference in Abakiliki, the state capital.
Represented by Mrs. Anthonia Aruya, the Director of Inspection and Monitoring, Mohammed explained that the Federal Government had set up a committee on pharmaceutical sector reform, and also approved the National Drug Distribution Guideline, with a team dispatched to Ebonyi State for inspection.
He said some local government areas of the state, including Ebonyi, Ikwo, Ivo, Izzi and Afikpo, were visited by the team, which has been in Ebonyi since Monday, November 30, 2020.
“At the end of the exercise, a total of 556 premises were visited, comprising of 49 pharmacies and 507 patent medicine outlets. A total of 348 premises were sealed, comprising of three pharmacies and 345 patent medicine shops.
“Five premises were issued compliance directives for issues ranging from sale and dispensing of ethical/ prescription drugs without the supervision of a pharmacist, unhygienic environment and poor documentation, among others, in the interest of public safety.”
He maintained that all pharmaceutical outlets or premises where drugs are manufactured, warehoused, distributed, sold or dispensed in the state, must be registered and licenced by the council.
“Ethical or prescription medicines are to be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist, while controlled medicines are to be handled by pharmacists exclusively.”
The council warned that anyone that operates outside the rules is operating in violation of the law and shall be prosecuted accordingly.