FG set to dismantle open drug market, create alternative

Professor Ahmed Mora

By TOYIN ADEBAYO, Abuja

Following the challenges posed by the long-existing menace of the open drug market in the country, the Pharmacists Council Of Nigeria (PCN) has hinted that it’s working towards putting a lasting end to the scourging issue.

The Chairman of the Council, Professor Ahmed Mora, gave the hint in Abuja while briefing journalists on some pharmaceutical issues.

Mora said, although , the issue of open drug market is a dicey one, he however, assured that when Federal Government Coordinated Whole Sale Centres is completed, it will dismantle open market.

He said these centres which are build in cities like Kano, Lagos and other parts of the country, when completed, will accommodate all those involved in open drug market.

He said: “The coordinated wholesale centres is the alternative that the Federal Government has put in place in its policy to take care of open drug market. Right now the coordinated wholesale centres are built across the country.

“Therefore, we can’t just close the market when those coordinated wholesale centres are not completed. If you go to Kano, Lagos. We are waiting for these centres to be completed so that we can now dismantle the open drug market. There is a programme in place to close down the market.

Those who are recalcitrant in falling into the programme of the federal government coordinated whole sale centres, will soon be closed down, since they have refused to key into the programme.

On the policies of the program he said; “There are policies in place, there is a centre that will accommodate all of them, there will be regulations, NAFDAC will have an office there, there will be a police post. Banks will be there, drugs coming in and out will be highly regulated. People can access their product, temperature will be highly regulated and storage facilities will be highly supervised”.

He further said that , an enforcement department has been set in that regards, where by workshop for building and improving capacities of the inspectors can be achieved.

“We are now having inspectors workshop whereby we build the capacity of the inspectors, improving the capacities of the inspectors, harmonise some of the inspections. We want to empower our inspectors, improve their capacities so that they can meet up with the challenges,” he stressed. (Saturday Independent)