By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday clamped down on some pharmaceutical and patent stores in the Satellite Towns of the Territory, to enforce compliance with laid down operational standards
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The Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake drugs, went round patent stores and pharmacy stores, where officials looked at the storage conditions of drugs and removed drugs not registered by NAFDAC, which are regarded as fake, to ensure residents don’t have access to them.
In particular, the team, accompanied by some Policemen stormed and sealed Chikamsi Pharmacy and Stores Ltd and e-Health Pharmacy and Stores ltd, White House Plaza, near Karu Market, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). compliance directive was issued and drugs confiscated for not having NAFDAC no or beyond their operative threshold .
The team also inspected Palax medicine store, Odera Pharmacy ltd, Helium Medical Services Ltd, Steps Pharmacy ltd, all located along Nyana-Jikwoyi road, Karu.
Explaining the exercise, Head of Pharmaceutical Inspectorate of the Health and Human Services Secretariat(HHSS), Aje Oitu Oga, said it aims at ensuring that there is compliance to good pharmaceutical practice in the FCT.
Oga, who stood in for Director, Pharmaceutical Services Department, added that the raid is also to ensure that the condition under which drugs are kept and sold are hygienic and conducive.
“We have NAFDAC as a member of the Taskforce to ensure that they go round the drugs on the counters in every pharmacy or patent medicine shop.So far, in all the shops we have gone to, less than 1% don’t have problem, it is not always punitive but corrective measures are taken to ensure compliance, as we told them the right thing to do, and they complied. While most of the places we went to, the Pharmacists were not on ground, and a compliance directive was issued, as they are supposed to render services to the community.
“And if your premises is sealed, you will ensure that you meet all the laid down conditions for operating such business, then we go and unseal the premises. My advise to residents is that they should patronise only registered pharmacy shops and healthcare facilities spread across the area councils for primary healthcare services. People need to shun patronising Patent medicine dealers , except when they cannot do otherwise”, he stressed
Similarly, Director, in charge of Abuja Zonal of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Peter Iliya, noted that the risk of having non-complying drugs outlets, is that one may not be sure of the quality of products and services available to the people.
