Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has shut 16 illegal, substandard and unregistered pharmacies, patent medicine stores and premises at Ajegunle and Alaba Suru axis of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government area of the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi who made this known today while reviewing report of the monitoring, inspection and enforcement exercise carried out by the Task Force through the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit (PIU) of the Pharmaceutical Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health, stated that the exercise was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act of 1999.
He explained that the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were sealed for offences bordering on operations without license, engaging unqualified persons to man and dispense drugs to unsuspecting citizens, operating beyond scope through sale of ethical products and displaying and storing drugs in unconducive environments which compromise the potency of the drugs, rendering them ineffective.
The Commissioner however stressed that only licensed patent medicine vendors are authorized to sell drug products in their original and approved pack size as produced by the manufacturing companies noting that the law prohibits wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors and prohibits wholesalers from retailing drugs.
While noting that the recent operation of the taskforce was coming on the heels of the war being waged against fake drugs and illegal drug shops, Prof Abayomi warned that the activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would not only be sustained, but intensified until operators in the sector adhere strictly to the provisions of the law on running of pharmacies and patent medicine shops, in order to safeguard the health of the citizenry.
He stressed that the State Government remains committed to putting a halt to the ugly trend of having unqualified personnel deal with drug and would continue to insist that the environment for the dispensation of medical care should be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of good health.
The Director Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry, Dr. Mosunmola Beckley said that the Task Force has been re-energized to intensify the on-going war against fake, expired and substandard drugs being peddled by unlicensed and illegal premises.
Dr. Beckley disclosed 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.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
Leave a Reply