Lagos State Government Shuts Down 34 Medical Outlets

At least 34 medical outlets have been shut down by the Lagos State Government on Tuesday.

The state Government shut them down over non-compliance to regulatory standards.

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The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, disclosed this after reviewing the report of the monitoring exercise by the Lagos State Taskforce.

The monitoring, inspection and enforcement exercises were carried out by the Lagos State taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food.

The outlets include:

• Shomolu.
• Bariga.
• Gbagada and Ifako area of Shomolu.
• Kosofe Local Government area.
• Bale.
• Savage.
• Orile Iganmu Local Council Development Area in Lagos State.   

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The Commissioner made this known in a press statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbawo.

It said that the sealed medical outlets were in accordance with the provision of section C34.

The law was in Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act 1999.

Abayomi listed other offences of the sealed premises as:

• Inappropriate storage conditions of drugs.
• Having unskilled persons handling and dispensing drugs.
• Sale of drugs by illegal shop owners.
• Stocking of expired drugs.
• Sale of drugs in market places.

The Commissioner also noted the following:

• That the sale of medicines is only allowed in registered and licensed outlets.
• That patent medicine vendors are authorized to sell drugs.
• Authorised patent medicine vendors should sell in original and approved pack size. They shall be in the sizes produced by the manufacturing companies.

He said that patent medicine vendors and licensed pharmaceutical premises are prohibited from operating beyond their reach.

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Abayomi revealed that the task force had engaged in a rejigged enforcement exercise. He added that this was a follow-up to ensure that the drug distribution chain Lagos State has been sanitized.

His words:

“The Task Force enforcement activities in Shomolu and Bariga LGA was a follow up to previous enforcement exercise conducted in the areas in October which are aimed at ensuring compliance to regulations.

“The revisit revealed a significant success in the war against fake drugs and illegal drug shops in Lagos as 16 shops earlier sealed were met evacuated and are no longer involved in the illegal sale of drugs.

“The November enforcement exercise at Savage and Bale streets in Orile-Iganmu LCDA was to prevent clustering of drug outlets which are a haven for fake drugs. It is worthy to mention that 13 out of 14 outlets visited were sealed, one of the sealed premises was found to be stocking expired drugs which are hazardous to the health of the state Citizenry”, he explained.

The Commissioner vowed that the activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would be sustained. He added that it would be intensified until stakeholders in the pharmaceutical value chain comply strictly with the provisions of the law.

Source: PUNCH HealthWise