Lagos seals 29 medicine stores for selling unwholesome drugs

Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos

July 14, 2015 – Not less than 29 patent medicine and phamaceutical stores were today sealed by the Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit and Unwholesome Processed Foods.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi who made the revelation in Lagos said the shops were sealed for violating provisions of the law regulating sales and distribution of medicine and phamarceutical products in Lagos.

Osunkiyesi noted that the latest closure was coming on the heels of renewed mandate to the taskforce to comb all nooks and crannies where drugs are distributed illegally within the state.

“The closure is part of the government’s efforts aimed at ridding the state of fake, substandard and illegal drug outlets as well as ensuring high drug quality through sanitation and streamlining of drug distribution system in the state”, she said. She noted that sealing off the affected firms was in accordance with the provision of Chapter C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act of 1999, Number 25.

Osunkiyesi added that the raid was necessitated by persistent defiance to stipulated regulation on drug production, importation, manufacture, sales or display for sales, hawking, distribution, adulteration, and possession of drugs by illegal operators.

She said that the shops were sealed off for offences ranging from sales of drugs without license from the regulatory authority; to failure or refusal 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.

Shops affected during the raids are Goodnews Store located at 8, Badore Road, Folarin Bus-stop, Ajah; Jonadab Nwaogwugwu Chemist, Seyi-Omogwa Street, Lakowe Phase2, Lekki; and BL Supermarket, Yomade Shopping Mall, Awoyaya Bus-stop, Lekki.

Others are Tela Rose Pharmacy, 13 Shonibare S. Complex, Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki; Omata Chemist, 2 Seyi Omogwa Street, Lakowe Phase2, Lekki; and Uzoma Shop, Bale Palace, Abijo town, Lekki; and Chidominion Stores, Olasuru Shopping Plaza, Haruna Bus-stop, Sangotedo, Lekki, Ajah, Chinkem Pharmaceutical Ltd., Sangotedo, Lekki, Ajah; Shade Chemist, 2, David Oladapo Street, Ajah; Big Friend Merchant Store, Sangotedo Ajah; and Kike Medicine Stores, Oke-Imole Street, Sangotedo, Ajah.

Osunkiyesi who expressed concern about the danger posed by the nefarious activities of illegal operators of patent medicine and pharmaceutical stores in the state added that it was particularly disheartening that despite the provisions of the law which outlines requirements for registration and renewal of pharmaceutical premises, people still chose to stay on the wrong side of the law.

She urged operators medicine stores to ensure that their activities are within the ambit of the law just as she reiterated government’s avowed commitment to streamline the drug distribution system in the state in order to ensure the safety of the citizenry.

“It is important that operators of pharmaceutical shops and patent medicine stores operate within the ambit of the law regulating their operations as the state government would not take it lightly with any operators of pharmaceutical products who disregard the laws of the state”, she said.