On Monday, a joint operation led by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria resulted in the closure of over 1,321 patent medicine stores at the Sabon Gari open market in Kano.
The exercise led to a demonstration by the owners of patent medicine stores, who proceeded to the Kano State Government House to voice their discontent.
The drug dealers were instructed by the Federal High Court to move from their open market premises and relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre at Dangwauro village on Zaria Road in the state. The move was carried out 72 hours after the court’s order.
During the briefing with reporters on Monday, Mr. Francis Ononiwu, the NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, emphasized that closing down these establishments is essential for NAFDAC to maintain its commitment to purifying the pharmaceutical sector from unethical practices by the retailers.
He said, “Following the court judgment that ordered the relocation of the patent medicine dealers to CWC, NAFDAC and PCN joint enforcement team embarked on the enforcement action between 17th and 18th of February during which not less than 1,321 outlets were sealed.
‘The operations were executed in line with the enforcement and regulatory task of the agencies necessary to sanitise drug distribution in Nigeria and to checkmate the chaotic supply of pharmaceuticals, in the open market, a development inimical to public health.
‘‘These people have caused a lot of damage to the health of society because, apart from dispensing fake and adulterated medicines, they lack the required cold store for pharmaceutical storage. With that alone, so many medicines on their shelf have lost the efficacy because of the high temperature of where they stock products.”
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