Not less than 40 illegal drugs stores have been sealed off by officials of the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods in Alapere, Magodo and Ikosi-Isheri areas of the state.
The raid was conducted in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Federal Task Force, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Pharmaceutical Inspectors Committee, PIC, and officers of the Nigerian Police Force from the state command.
The special adviser to the governor on Public Health, Yewande Adeshina, while confirming the raid, explained the government’s resolve to streamline the activities of operators in the drug sector.
“The desire was based on the zeal to stop the inherent dangers associated with the peddling of fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorised and unregistered drug and pharmaceutical outlets,” she said.
The special adviser wondered why some people still chose to stay on the wrong side of the law which she said has been affecting Nigeria as a whole.
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 outlined the requirements for the registration and renewal of pharmaceutical premises, culpability and punishment for offenders.
She listed the sealed drug stores to include View land Pharmaceutical Ltd at 5, Palace Street, Ogudu; Goodhealth Supermarket at 13, Agboyi Road, Ogudu; E. Emodobi patent medicine store at 15, Old Olowora Street, Isheri; Max supermarket and medicine store at 23, Agboyi Road, Ogudu; Sadus Pharmacy at 51, Olowora Road, Ogudu; Festina Pharmacy Ltd at No 2, Ogun River road, Isheri; Celens Pharmacy at Isheri Market Plaza and Spacon Healthcare at 19, Ogudu Road.
Others are Tolex Pharmaceutical Ltd at 44, Ikosi Road, Ketu; Amexco Pharmacy at No 1, Ikosi Road, Ketu; Igba Stores at 11, Oluyombo Street, Ikosi; Mr. Kelechi store at 10 Odun Street, Ikosi; Ademola Ologunagba at 31,Oluwalogbon Street, Ikosi; Benkeson Pharmaceutical at 16, Anibaba street, Ikosi; Danest stores at 17, Jimoh Balogun street Ikosi; patent medicine store at 6, Dairo Street, Ikosi and two unnamed stores at 73, Oluyombo and 35, Jimoh Balogun streets.
Adeshina added that the affected shops were sealed off for offences like sale of drugs without licence from the regulatory authority, failure to relocate from a market area, non adherence to the required distance between a patent medicine shop and market place and sale of counterfeit and fake drugs, among others.