Lagos: 38 illegal medicine stores shut

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, has said that 38 illegal medicine stores had been sealed in Ajegunle and Apapa areas of Lagos State.The exercise, carried out by the officials of the State Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, is aimed at ridding the state of illegal drugs stores, he said.He said in a statement in Lagos that government had resolved to streamline activities in the drugs sector to curb the dangers associated with the sale of fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorised drug outlets.``We cannot fold our arms and do nothing in respect of the excesses of these illegal drugs operators.``We will not relent in our efforts to sanitise the drugs distribution system in Lagos,'' he said.According to Idris, pharmaceutical laws stipulate that pharmaceutical premises cannot be located in motor parks and environments where commercial activities take place such as market places, kiosks, road-side stores and containers.``The law also frowns at pharmaceutical stores standing and growing very close together,' Idris said.The commissioner advised Lagos residents interested in selling medicine to liaise with the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry of Health, the authorising body for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Licence (PPMVL).He also urged those interested in importation, distribution and sale of drugs to license their premises through the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN).The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the raid was jointly carried out by the ministry, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN).Other agencies involved in the exercise were the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Pharmaceutical Inspectors Committee (PIC) and the police.
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