The Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has confirmed shutting down 32 pharmacies and patent medicine stores for illegal operation and operating beyond scope of practice.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, disclosed this Sunday after reviewing the report of the first enforcement exercise carried out by the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry for year 2020.
According to the commissioner, the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were sealed for offences including operations without license, engaging unqualified persons to man and dispense drugs to unsuspecting citizens, operating beyond scope through sale of ethical products, displaying and storing drugs in unconducive environments, which compromises the potency of the drugs there by rendering them ineffective.
He, however, stressed that only licensed patent medicine vendors are authorised to sell only drug products in their original packs in approved pack size as produced by the manufacturing companies as the law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors as the law also prohibits wholesalers operating outside their scope by selling drugs in retail.
He said that the affected premises includes those located in Dopemu, Mangoro, Cement, Oniwaya, Ayobo-Ipaja, OrileAgege, Akinogun, Mosan and Ikola axis of Agege and Alimosho Local Government Areas of the state.
Abayomi noted that 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.
Abayomi assured that the present administration remains committed to putting a halt to the ugly trend of having unqualified personnel deal with drugs and will continue to insist that the environment for the dispensation of medical care should be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of good health.
