Kogi State seals off 287 illegal pharmacies and medicine shops

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, has sealed off 287 premises of persons operating illegal pharmacies and patent shops in Kogi State.

Stephen Esumobi, the PCN Deputy Director Enforcement made the revelation in Lokoja saying it took the council a five days raids for the operation, which covered 373 pharmacies and patent shops.

He said the sealing, which cut across the state, was made up of 27 illegal pharmacies and 260 patent medicine stores who contravened various offences. “The premises were sealed for operating without registration with PCN, failure to renew premises licence, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of pharmacist, poor storage and sanitary conditions among others. “Findings of the PCN team showed that in Kogi State, many pharmaceutical premises commenced operations without fulfilling the minimum requirements for registration while others failed to renew their licenses.”