In a joint operation conducted by the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN), a total of 1,321 medicine stores were sealed off for operating illegally in Kano.
Mr. Francis Ononiwu, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Kano on Monday. He revealed that the enforcement action took place over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, February 17th and 18th, targeting establishments located in Malam Kato Square, Niger Street, and Sabon Gari Market in Kano.
The primary objective of the joint operation was to ensure that medical dealers relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) situated in Dangwauro, along Zaria Road in Kano. Ononiwu emphasized that this move is aligned with NAFDAC’s regulatory function of enforcement to guarantee that only quality drugs are available in circulation.
“We need to sanitize the drug distribution system in the country. If drugs are not stored in a cooling premises, they degrade into poisonous substances,” Ononiwu stated. He highlighted that many of the medicine outlets visited during the operation were operating in unventilated environments, which is not conducive for storing drugs, particularly those requiring refrigeration.
Furthermore, Ononiwu emphasized that some of the medicine outlets were involved in smuggling fake, narcotics, and banned products such as analgin injection illegally, which could contribute to the deterioration of the security situation in the country.
He urged medicine dealers to perceive their relocation to the CWC as essential for public health survival and part of the ongoing effort to combat substandard drugs effectively. By relocating, regulatory bodies can more easily supervise incoming drugs to address the issue of counterfeit and substandard products.
Mr. Stephen Esumobi, the Director of Enforcement at the PCN, also commented on the operation, noting that the medicine dealers were operating in illegal premises. He expressed concern over the safety of drugs being sold in these establishments, emphasizing that many of them posed significant health risks due to their toxic nature and narrow therapeutic doses.
Esumobi highlighted that the sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products in these premises were not under the supervision of a pharmacist, further underscoring the need for stringent regulatory measures to safeguard public health.
The sealing off of these illegal medicine stores represents a significant step towards ensuring the availability of safe and quality drugs for the populace in Kano and underscores the commitment of regulatory agencies to uphold standards in the pharmaceutical sector.
