PCN licences 78 pharmaceutical stores in Gombe

The Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) in Gombe State, said it licenced 78 pharmaceutical stores in the state in 2018.

Mrs Rhoda Stephen, the state Officer said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Gombe.

Stephen said the sealing of over 596 pharmaceutical stores after the inspection and monitoring activities by PCN team from Abuja, triggered their interest to register.

“We licenced 78 pharmaceutical premises before the end of 2018. After the inspection by our team from Abuja in Aug. 2018, many were forced to register.

“We made it clear that PCN is not after money and that the criteria must be met for licencing because we cannot afford to have quacks in the business of health.

“Before the inspection, there was no regulation at all in Gombe and the people were doing what they liked and so many illegal practices were going on,’’ he said.

Stephen stressed that the state had recorded gains in the fight against illegal practices in 2018, adding that such would be sustained to consolidate the efforts of the council’s team from Abuja.

She said warned that any untrained personnel caught operating illegal premises would be sanctioned by law enforcement agencies.

She appealed to untrained personnel involved in pharmaceutical malpractices to keep off as the council was poised to put them out of business.

NAN reports that the council had in Aug. 10, 2018 sealed 596 pharmaceutical stores in Gombe for non-adherence to national drug guidelines.

(NAN)