The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Thursday sealed a total number of 571 patent medicine shops, illegal Medicine shops and pharmacies. The ships were shut in Tafawa Balewa, Darazo, Ganjuwa, Alkaleri, Dambam, Kirfi, Ningi, Toro as well as Dass local government areas of Bauchi state for various offences and breach of laws and regulations. Addressing a press conference at the PCN North East zonal office in Bauchi, the Director and Head of Enforcement Department national headquarters of PCN, Pharm.
Stephen Esumobi, noted that the that sealed premises did not take steps to improve their storage facilities. Other offences committed by owners of pharmaceutical premises according to him, include operating without registration and non-renewal of premises certificates, poor documentation, patent medicine vendors stocking medicines outside the approved drug list and carrying out clinical services, wholesalers engaging in retail, pharmacies operating without a superintendent pharmacist. He also said that the Illegal medicine dealers were also found to engage in the sale of large quantities of substances of abuse to members of the public especially within the state capital thus aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of such medicines.
He added that some patent medicine stores within Bauchi metropolis were found to be stocking large quantities of used needles and syringes which are suspected to be re-used or sold to other medicine dealers operating.