Dr Elijah Mohammed, Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says the council has sealed 808 illegal pharmaceutical premises during the month of July.

Mohammed made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, while giving an update of the council’s activities in July.

He said that out of the 1,179 pharmaceutical premises inspected by the council’s enforcement team, 740 illegal medicines shops and 68 illegal pharmacies were sealed.

“In the month of July, the enforcement team of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria visited Kwara and Ogun states in line with its mandate to sanitise the healthcare environment of our dear country.

“A total of 1,179 pharmaceutical premises were inspected during the visits and at the end of the visit, 808 premises were sealed including 740 illegal medicines shops and 68 illegal pharmacies,” Mohammed said.

The registrar expressed dismay over the uncontrolled proliferation of online pharmacies in the country.

He, however, cautioned people who engaged in the sales and promotion of medicines online to visit their PCN state offices to register the online pharmacies latest Aug. 31.

According to him, the minimum requirement for an online pharmacy is its direct affiliation to a registered physical brick and mortar pharmacy.

“Failure to do so will lead to the pulling down of such portals and subsequent prosecution.

“These include full-fledged online pharmacy websites, stores hosted on all purpose e-commerce sites and also those practiced on social media handles.

“Colleagues are encouraged to report erring online pharmacies to this email address pcnig@yahoo.ca.,’’ he said.

Mohammed promised that the council was poised to deliver its full mandate especially as it concerned investigation and discipline of professional misconduct among players in the pharmaceutical.

The registrar also encouraged all frontline pharmacists to adhere to the strictest guideline for self-protection in a bid to eradicate COVID-19 virus in the shortest possible time.

He urged pharmacists not to let down their guards, noting that the virus infection rate was still on the increase.

“As lockdowns and restrictions are gradually relaxed across the country, I implore all colleagues not to let down their guards as we know that the virus infection rate is not slowing down.

“We commiserate with the families of colleagues who have died in the line of duty while we pray for the quick recovery of colleagues who are currently undergoing treatment,” he added.