PCN shuts 571 illegal pharmacies, medicine shops in Bauchi

By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 571 illegal shops found selling, substandard, contraband drugs, operating unapproved premises in local government areas of Bauchi State.

Director Enforcement of the Council, Pharmacist Stephen Esumobi, while briefing journalists at the end of the Council’s monitoring exercise in Bauchi on Thursday, said that the rate of hard substances on sale is alarming, pledging that his Council would work with other relevant agencies to break the network of circulation.

Esumobi said that the Council uncovered some smartphone dealers who sell some of the hard substances within the Bauchi Capital. “There is lots of work to do. The level of this prevalence is very disturbing.”

According to him, the Council visited Bauchi, Tafawa Balewa, Darazo, Ganjuwa, Alkaleri, Dambam, Kirfi, Ningi, Toro and Dass local government areas. “At the end of the exercise a total of 762 premises were visited. This is made up of 88 pharmacies, 284 patent medicine shops and 390 Illegal premises.

“A total of 571 premises were sealed The premises sealed include 37 pharmacies, 144 patent medicine shops and 390 illegal medicine shops.”

He directed the state and zonal offices of the PCN to continue to monitor all pharmaceutical premises within the state to ensure that they operate in line with our laws and regulations.