PCN has shut a drug market at Douglas Road in Owerri for violating the regulations guiding handling of pharmaceutical products and sales of medicines.
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut a drug market along Douglas Road in Owerri for violating the regulations guiding handling of pharmaceutical products and the sales of medicines.
The council also sealed 19 pharmacies and 434 Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMV) also known as patent medicine shops in the state.
Anthonia Aruya,the Council’s Director of Inspection and Monitoring, said at a press conference in Owerri that some arrests were made during the enforcement .
”Despite the Federal Government’s explicit policy direction and the PCN’s guidance to stakeholders on relocation of markets into regulated centres (Coordinated Wholesale Centres), a new drug market , was recently set up was discovered in this state.
“The PCN has sealed the market preparatory for evacuation”, he said.
According to her, the council visited 557 premises that comprised 68 pharmacies as well as 489 patent medicine shops during the exercise.
Aruya added that 10 pharmacies and one patent medicine shop were also faulted for poor handling of controlled drugs, selling and dispensing of ethical drugs without the supervision of pharmacists.
She advised the public to always look out for the Pharmacists Annual License to Practice and the Premises Certificate to avoid patronising quacks.
Aruya said that medicines sold in unregistered outlets were not guaranteed to have efficacy, quality and safety as those sold in regulated facilities.
Source: NAN
