Lagos Seals-Up 39 Pharmacy Firms For Dealing In Counterfeit Drugs

Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina who disclosed this at the weekend explained government’s resolve to streamline activities of operators in the drug sectoras a result of dangers associated with peddling fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorized and unregistered pharmaceutical outlets.

“In furtherance of the state government’s commitment to ridding the state of the menace of illegal drug store operators in the state, we cannot fold our arms and do nothing in respect of the excesses of these illegal drug store operators. That is why we will not relent in our drive to sanitize the drug distribution system in Lagos, hence the mandate of the Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods”.

The Special Adviser wondered why the people still chose to stay on the wrong side of the law adding that the provisions of the law as stipulated by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act of 1992 and the Registration of Pharmaceutical Premises Regulation Law of 2005 outlines requirements for the registration and renewal of pharmaceutical premises, culpability and punishment for offenders.

“The provision of the pharmaceutical laws stipulates that pharmaceutical premises cannot be located in motor parks and environment where commercial activities take place like market places, kiosks, road-side stores and containers and the law also frowns at pharmaceutical stores standing and growing very close together,”Adeshina noted.

The sales outlets sealed-up by the Lagos State Government include Viewland Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 5,Palace Street, Ogudu; Goodhealth Supermarket at No 13, Agboyi road, Ogudu; E. Emodobi Patent Medicine store at No 15, Old Olowora Street, Isheri; Max Supermarket and Medicine store at No 23, Agboyi road, Ogudu; Sadus Pharmacy at No 51, Olowora road, Ogudu; Festina Pharmacy Ltd at No 2, Ogun River road, Isheri; Celens Pharmacy at Isheri Market Plaza and Spacon Healthcare at No 19, Ogudu road.

Others are Tolex Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 44, Ikosi road, Ketu; Amexco Pharmacy at No 1, Ikosi road, Ketu; Igba Stores at No 11, Oluyombo Street, Ikosi; Mr Kelechi store at No 10 Odun Street, Ikosi; Ademola Ologunagba at No 31,Oluwalogbon Street, Ikosi; Benkeson Pharmaceutical at No 16, Anibaba street, Ikosi; Danest stores at No 17, Jimoh Balogun street Ikosi; Patent Medicine store at No 6, Dairo street,Ikosi and two unnamed stores at Nos 73,Oluyombo and 35, Jimoh Balogun streets.

Adeshina noted that the affected shops were sealed off for offences ranging from sales of drugs without license from the regulatory authority; failure to relocate from a market area and adherence to the mandated distance between a patent medicine shop and market place as stipulated by the law; and sales of counterfeit and fake drugs amongst others.

The Special Adviser advised anybody interested in selling medicine to liaise with the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry of Health, the legitimate authorizing body for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License (PPMVL), located on the ground floor of Block 8, Old Secretariat, in Ikeja.
She urged those interested in importation, distribution and sales of drugs to get their premises licensed by the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN).

The raid was conducted in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce, National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmaceutical Inspectors Committee (PIC), and Officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force from the state command.