The Federal Government has directed the owners of 1,321 medicine stores sealed in Kano, to relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) in Dangwauro area, to ensure proper monitoring and safeguard the country.
The National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in collaboration with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), sealed the stores on Feb. 18 for operating illegally in Kano.
The Minister of Health, Mr Muhammad Ali-Pate, gave the directive while addressing newsmen shortly after inspecting the CWC on Friday on Zaria Road, Dangwauro, Kano.
“I am here at CWC to see the direction taken by NAFDAC and PCN to improve quality distribution system, to safeguard the system from substandard counterfeit drugs and other illicit substances that are raking huge amount of havoc in our population.”
He said the safety of Nigerians, health and well-being were essential for the administration of President Bola Ahmed.
“The open market system is chaotic and that is the route through which a lot of substandard and illicit drugs get to our population and youths damaging their future,” Ali-Pate said
According to him, the drug distribution system is an essential element in improving the safety and efficacy of the medication that our population consume.
“As we unlock the health value chain in Nigeria, we need to have a streamlined system for getting product from manufacturers to the market to the population.”
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He called on drug dealers to comply with the guidelines and provision of regulatory laws.
The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, said the state would assist smaller drug dealers to acquire shops at the CWC.
” To acquire shop at the CWC is one of the concerns drug dealers raised during our meeting with them. We will make sure we free our market from drugs.”
Recall that the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control in collaboration with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria on Monday raided and sealed not less than 1,321 patent medicine outlets in Sabon Gari open market in Kano.
The joint team of regulators enforcement operations came 72 hours after the Federal High Court ordered the drug dealers to vacate their open market premises and relocate to the CWC, at Dangwauro village on Zaria road in the state.
