571 pharmaceuticals, medicine stores shut down over various offences in Bauchi

From Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

The Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria has sealed 571 pharmaceutical and patent medicine stores in Bauchi State for various offences and breach of laws and regulations.
Addressing a press conference in Bauchi over the issue, Head of Enforcement Department at the National Headquarters, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi , said Illegal medicine dealers were found to be engaged in the sale of large quantities of substances of abuse to members of the public especially within the state capital, thus aggravating the social and security challenges emanating from the illicit use of such medicines.
He saiid some patent medicine stores within Bauchi metropolis were found to be stocking large quantities of used needles and syringes which are suspected to be re-used or sold to other medicine dealers operating in the rural areas.
The Council observed during the enforcement exercise that sealed premises did not take steps to improve their storage facilities.
Other offences committed by owners of pharmaceutical premises include operating without registration and non-renewal of premises certificates, poor documentation, patent medicine vendors stocking medicines outside the approved drug list and carrying out clinical services, wholesalers engaging in retail, pharmacies operating without a superintendent pharmacist.