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PCN seals 311 pharmacies, patent medicine shops, arrests three vendors in Kogi

By Ibrahim Obansa, Lokoja
10 October 2022   |   2:45 am
Pharmacits Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 311 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in Kogi State, even as it arrested three vendors for breaking the association’s seal.

[files] A patent medicine store

Pharmacits Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 311 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in Kogi State, even as it arrested three vendors for breaking the association’s seal.

Director and Head of Enforcement Department, Stephen Esumobi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lokoja, at the weekend.

He said the enforcement team had been in Kogi since the beginning of the week, as part of efforts to streamline the drug distribution system.

He said PCN observed that many premises in Kogi were still operating in breach of regulations.

He said: “These premises operate without registering with PCN, while others have failed to renew their premises licence.

“At the end of the exercise, 390 premises were visited. This comprised 342 patent medicines shops and 48 pharmacies.

“A total of 311 premises were sealed, comprising 15 pharmacies and 296 patent medicine shops. Two compliance directives were issued, while three patent medicine vendors were arrested for breaking PCN’s seal.

He said most of the premises were sealed for offences that include operating without registration or renewal of premises certificates and unauthorised sale of performance-enhancing drugs.

Others were poor access control to poison cupboards, registration of premises by personnel working in health institutions within and outside the state, and stocking and sale of prescription and other ethical products.

He stressed that it has become necessary for PCN to step up its enforcement activities, to ensure medicines remain safe, effective and of good quality as they move from one level of the distribution chain to another until they get to consumers.

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