The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 157 pharmacies and 791 patent medicine shops in Kano and Lagos in August over alleged operational misconducts.

Dr Elijah Mohammed, PCN Registrar disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday while giving an update of the council’s activities in August 2020.

He noted that the council, in the course of its National Enforcement activity visited Lagos and Kano States respectively and shut down a total of 948 medicine shops.

He said during the exercise, 116 pharmacies and 152 patent medicine shops were sealed for various operational misconducts, in Lagos while 18 compliance directives were issued for other minor offences.

Mohammed further noted that Kano state enforcement exercise led to the sealing of 41 pharmacies and 639 patent medicine shops, while 15 compliance directives were issued for the same reason.

He explained that the enforcement activity of the council was in a quest to ensure good pharmacy practice environment and the provision of quality pharmaceutical service to Nigerians.

The registrar however said while ensuring improved pharmacy practice and provision of pharmaceutical services, pharmacists and vendors must equally ensure that pharmacies and patent medicine shops were properly inspected, registered and licensed by PCN.

“They must ensure that the license issued for the pharmacies and patent medicine shops are conspicuously hung in the premises and shops respectively.

“Ensure that the superintendent pharmacist of the pharmacy is properly registered and licensed to practice by the PCN and most of the time, be available in the premises to carry out his professional responsibilities to clients.

“Also ensure the person who owns the Patent Medicine Shop is properly licensed by the PCN to operate the medicine shop and always available to offer his service.

“Ensure that the pharmacist is always up-to-date by attending Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) programme in order to sharpen his skill, while the vendor is also up-to-date with the Continued Education Programme of the PCN.

“Ensure that the premises or shop only stock drugs that are approved by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),”Mohammed noted. (NAN)