By Goodness Akintunde
The PCN pharmacy council of Niger has abruptly shut down 531 medicine outlets in the Federal Capital Territory for different crimes such as, operation without proper or no registration, lack of documentation, storage of medicines without supervision of a pharmacist.
The Director of Enforcement Stephen Esumobi, mentioned this to journalist in Abuja in Friday.
The PCN is the Federal Government unit ensured with the responsibilities of regulating and controlling the education, training and practice of pharmacy in all it's aspects in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022. As said by Esumobi; The Council's National Enforcement team carried out a week long enforcement excercise in the FCT, visiting 908 premises, including pharmacies, patent medicines shops and illegal medicine outlets.
The team sealed 531 places including 90 pharmacies, 144 patent medicine shops, and 297 illegal medicine shops.
He also stated that the Council is working towards the use of technology to make drugs easily accessible to patients. Esumobi noted the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical practices but also stated that it cannot replace human activities most especially in the case of required verbal communication.