52 ILLEGAL pharmacies sealed up in Lagos

A TOTAL of 52 pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and unlicensed premises have been sealed up by the Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods.

The outlets located at Isolo, Egbeda, Ikotun, Bariga, and Somolu in Oshodi-Isolo, Alimosho and Somolu Local Government areas of Lagos were shut for offenses bordering on the illegal operation, amongst others.

 HealthNewsExtra gathered that the enforcement and compliance raid was carried out by the State Task force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods in collaboration with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on fake drugs and Police Officers from Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of Lagos Police Command.

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves, said the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were shut for operating without a license and engaging unqualified persons to operate the outlets and dispense drugs to unsuspecting citizens.

Other offenses include operating beyond scope through the sale of ethical products and displaying and storing drugs in an unconducive environment that compromises the potency and integrity of the drugs, rendering them ineffective.

 Goncalves said although registered, it was disheartening to note that quite a number of the pharmacies had no qualified pharmacists on duty and displayed expired drugs for sale to the public.

She added that some of the premises visited also engaged in illegal clinical practices such as patient admission and setting of intravenous infusions. 

Such practice is unacceptable, she noted even as she vowed that the State Government would do all necessary to enforce the law and sanction erring operators. 

 “The sealing of the affected pharmacies and patent medicine stores was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act of 1999, No. 25”, Goncalves said. 

 She said licensed patent medicine vendors are authorized to sell only drug products in their original packs in approved pack size as produced by the manufacturing companies. “The law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors,” she said. 

Operation of the task force came on the heels of the war against fake drugs and illegal drug shops. Goncalves warned that activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would be sustained, and intensified until operators in the sector adhere strictly to the provisions of the law on the operation of pharmacies and patent medicine shops, in order to safeguard the health of the citizenry. 

Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry, Dr. Moyosore Adejumo said  the State Government will not relent in its efforts to stop the inherent dangers associated with the operations from unlicensed pharmaceutical outlets and drug shops.

 Task Force through the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit (PIU) of the Pharmaceutical Services Directorate has been re-energized to intensify the on-going war against fake, expired and substandard drugs being peddled by unlicensed and illegal premises.

 “This closure is thus part of the government’s renewed efforts to sanitize the drug distribution system and curb proliferation of fake drugs in the State,” Adejumo said.  

 An investigative meeting would be held with owners of the sealed premises to make further inquiries on the status of the sealed premises and to notify them of the procedures and appropriate conditions to be met for reopening in line with government regulations and payment of an administrative fee. 

 The enforcement and compliance raid by the State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods was carried out in collaboration with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on fake drugs and the Police Officers from Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of Lagos Police Command.