Officials of the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has sealed no fewer than 39 illegal drugs stores in Alapere, Magodo; and Ikosi-Isheri environs at Kosofe and Ikosi-Isheri local government and local council development area of the State.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Yewande Adeshina explained that government’s resolve to streamline the activities of operators in the drug sector was borne out of the need to put an end to the inherent dangers associated with peddling of fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorized and unregistered drug and pharmaceutical outlets.
According to Adeshina “in furtherance of the state government’s commitment to ridding the state of the menace of illegal drug store operators in the state, we cannot fold our arms and do nothing in respect of the excesses of these illegal drug store operators. That is why we will not relent in our drive to sanitize the drug distribution system in Lagos, hence the mandate of the Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods.”
Adeshina wondered why people still chose to stay on the wrong side of the law adding that the provisions of the law as stipulated by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act of 1992 and the Registration of Pharmaceutical Premises Regulation Law of 2005 outlines the requirements for the registration and renewal of pharmaceutical premises, culpability and punishment for offenders.
“The provision of the pharmaceutical laws stipulates that pharmaceutical premises cannot be located in motor parks and environment where commercial activities take place like market places, kiosks, road-side stores and containers and the law also frowns at pharmaceutical stores standing and growing very close together,” Adeshina noted.
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Some of the sealed drug stores include Viewland Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 5,Palace Street, Ogudu; Goodhealth Supermarket at No 13, Agboyi road, Ogudu; E. Emodobi Patent Medicine store at No 15, Old Olowora Street, Isheri; Max Supermarket and Medicine store at No 23, Agboyi road, Ogudu; Sadus Pharmacy at No 51, Olowora road, Ogudu; Festina Pharmacy Ltd at No 2, Ogun River road, Isheri; Celens Pharmacy at Isheri Market Plaza and Spacon Healthcare at No 19, Ogudu road.
Others are Tolex Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 44, Ikosi road, Ketu; Amexco Pharmacy at No 1, Ikosi road, Ketu; Igba Stores at No 11, Oluyombo Street, Ikosi; Mr Kelechi store at No 10 Odun Street, Ikosi; Ademola Ologunagba at No 31,Oluwalogbon Street, Ikosi; Benkeson Pharmaceutical at No 16, Anibaba street, Ikosi; Danest stores at No 17, Jimoh Balogun street Ikosi; Patent Medicine store at No 6, Dairo street,Ikosi and two unnamed stores at Nos 73,Oluyombo and 35, Jimoh Balogun streets.
Adeshina added that the affected shops were sealed off for offences ranging from sales of drugs without license from the regulatory authority; failure to relocate from a market area and adherence to the mandated distance between a patent medicine shop and market place as stipulated by the law; and sales of counterfeit and fake drugs amongst others.
Furthermore, drug manufacturers and importers are expected to strictly adhere to provisions of the guidelines as defaulters face varying degree of sanctions. While a draft to legislate drug counterfeiting within the West African sub region to make it criminal to trade in substandard/counterfeit medicines is currently been deliberated, stakeholders hope a workable plan of action on how to correctly implement anti counterfeiting solutions remains key in order to create a safe drug environment for Nigerians.
Alexander Chiejina
