The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria enforcement team has shut down 751 medicine stores in Gombe, says Stephen Esumobifsi, the director of enforcement.

Mr Esumobifsi told journalists on Thursday in Gombe that the shut outlets included 39 pharmacies, 128 patent medicine shops and 584 illegal medicine stores.

He said, “In the course of the five-day enforcement exercise, the team visited the Gombe open drug market and other locations within the state capital. It also visited some local government areas.

“The offences ranged from sales of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with PCN, poor documentation, poor storage facilities, stocking of ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, among others.

“The implication of their actions is that most of the medicines sold in such locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to the degradation of the active ingredients.”

Mr Esumobifsi added, “Some of the products are harmful, which poses a threat to public health. 

“Most of the medicine dealers are engaged in the illegal sale of substances to members of the public, thereby aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of the medicine.”

Mr Esumobifsi said that before the exercise, the council had communicated with relevant stakeholders, including medicine dealers in the Gombe open drug market, on the need to relocate to appropriate locations. 

(NAN)