The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 348 pharmaceutical premises in Ebonyi State for violating various regulatory and ethical tenets governing their practice.
Registrar of the Council, Mr Elijah Mohammed, represented by Mrs Anthonia Aruya, Director (Inspection and Monitoring) of the council, explained on Thursday that the affected premises consist of three pharmacies and 345 patent medicine shops.
“A total of 556 pharmaceutical premises were visited by the council in continuation of our activities aimed at sanitising the system for enhanced service delivery.
“The pharmaceutical premises we visited include 49 pharmacies and 507 patent medicine shops.
“Five premises were issued compliance directives for issues ranging from sale and dispensing of ethical and prescription drugs without a pharmacist’s supervision.
“The compliance directives were also issued to them for unhygienic environment, poor documentation, among others for public safety,” he said.
The registrar said that it was an offence to break the federal government seal and people found to have broken the seals placed on their premises would be prosecuted.
“The public is advised to ask for the registration status of facilities where they access their medicines.
“They should request for the current annual licences issued by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria from any pharmaceutical outlet, to safeguard themselves from patronising quacks,” he said.
Mohammed said that the council had been in Ebonyi since Nov. 30 and visited several local government areas of the state such as Ebonyi, Ikwo, Ivo, Izzi, Ishielu, among others.
“Ethical or prescription medicines are to be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist, while controlled medicines are to be handled by pharmacists exclusively.
“All pharmaceutical outlets or premises where drugs are manufactured, warehoused, distributed, sold or dispensed must be registered and licensed by the council.
“Anyone who operates outside these regulations is violating the law, as the council ensures compliance to regulations and guidelines bordering on the pharmaceutical sectornan”
