Posted on: Mon 25-10-2021

Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 650 pharmacies and patent medicines outlets in Kaduna State, some of which it said were illegally selling substances of abuse to the public, which in turn get to the hands of criminals.

The Council’s Registrar, Elijah Mohammed, who announced this at a press conference in Kaduna, yesterday, said the activities of many medicine dealers contributed in no small way to the security challenges across the country.

Represented by the Council’s Director of Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, the registrar stated: “Some of the sealed stores illegally sell substances of abuse to members of the public for financial gains. Some of these substances eventually get into the hands of criminal elements, who take them as confidence boosters before carrying out their operations.”

Mohammed disclosed that a particular drug, which ought not to be dispensed over the counter, found its way into the hands of criminals. “When they use this drug, they become very powerful; they can trek hundreds of kilometres, they don’t feel hungry or pain of any kind. That is why even when they are shot, they still keep fighting and don’t feel pain until they die.

“The PCN enforcement team has been on the field throughout the week visiting Zaria, Kaduna and environs. Observations from the field patent medicine shops revealed that owners of many patent medicine shops are engaged in the sale of medicines without regard to laid down guidelines.”

At the end of the exercise, according to him, 923 premises comprising 799 Patent And Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMV) shops and 124 pharmacies were visited, and 650 premises comprising 62 pharmacies and 588 patent medicine vendors shops were sealed.

He advised the public to source their medicines from registered and licensed pharmacies, and over-the-counter medicines from registered PPMV shops, as drugs sold in unregistered outlets could not be guaranteed to be genuine due to the effect of poor handling and exposure to environmental factors that degrade them.

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