NAFDAC seals drug shops, pharmacy for selling control drugs

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday sealed two drug shops and a pharmacy in the Idumota and Surulere areas of Lagos for selling unregistered and controlled drugs.

Supreme News reports that the two shops sealed at Idumota are owned by Blue Choice Pharmaceutical Ltd., while the pharmacy in Surulere is owned by VaticanBell Pharmacy.

A mini drug warehouse owned by Global Oneword Healthcare Ltd. at Coker Villllage, Orile Iganmu, was also sealed for not presenting its poison book.

Mr. Afolabi Aderemi, a Deputy Director at the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC, said the operation was carried out as a result of intelligence reports received about the shops.

Aderemi said: “ We are here today because we got a tip-off that control drugs are sold in these shops.

“By the virtue of International Convention, there are 71 drugs that ought not to be sold by individuals or pharmacies and we have evidence that these shops sealed up are into the illegal business.

“We are dealing with an organised crime here and NAFDAC is doing everything possible to discourage people from buying unregistered drug.”

He added that the owners of the sealed shops had been invited to NAFDAC office for more investigation.

Also speaking, a clinical pharmacist and Deputy Director at the NAFDAC Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Declan Ugwu,said control drugs fall under narcotic products, which are in different schedules.

According to Ugwu, the Federal Ministry of Health is the only authorised body saddled with the responsibility of issuing the drugs to general medical stores, where pharmacies can get the products in a recorded form.

Meanwhile, Mr. Innocent Ezennia, the first vice chairman of the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association, Island Zone, said the association would continue to work with NAFDAC.

“Raids and enforcement like these are very important to us to sanitise our business area.

“We will always work with NAFDAC to make their job seamless whenever they come for raids or enforcement,” he said.