Lagos State Ministry of Health Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has been shut down 21 pharmacies, patent medicine stores for offences bordering on illegal operations and operating beyond scope of practice.He noted that such practices are unacceptable and vowed that the State Government will do whatever is necessary to enforce the law and sanction erring operators, stressing that only 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 noting that the law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors and also prohibits wholesalers operating outside their scope by selling drugs in retail.
Abayomi also noted that the State Government remains committed to putting a halt to the ugly trend of having unqualified personnel deal with pharmaceutical products adding that government will continue to insist that the environment for the dispensation of medical care should be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of good health.
She added that the 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,” Backley said.
She explained that 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.
source: Nigerian Tribune
