By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 443 premises in Taraba for various offences.
Pharm. Sulaiman Chiroma, Head of Enforcement of the council who disclose this while briefing newsmen on Friday in Jalingo, said that out of the number, 43 were pharmacies while 395 were patent medical shops.
He said that the council visited a total of 656 premises in 11 local government areas in the state.
He mentioned some of the offences committed by the sealed premises includes; operating illegally, non renewal of premises registration and clinical practices.
Others he said were access to controlled medicines by unauthorised persons, over stocking beyond the approved patent medicine list and training of apprentices as well as retailing by wholesale premises.
He called on the people of the state to be mindful of where they access their medicines to avoid falling into the hands of untrained persons.
He also advised the people of the state to report quacks to the PCN’ s office in Jalingo.
According to him, the public can identify genuine pharmacy by their respective licence being conspicuously displayed in their premises.
He said that the council was committed to the well being of the people given it mandate to ensure wholesome practices.
In his remark, Pharm Aodoaseer Gwar of the North East Zonal office in Bauchi said that pharmacies were law abiding and ethical discipline to indulge in unwholesome practices.
He noted that with the enforcement and the sanctions by the council, there was no room for quackery and violation of the pharmacist’s code of ethics in Nigeria.