PSN shutdown over 50 illegal medicine stores in Kogi

Over 50 illegal medicines stores have been shut-down in Kogi State by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Fresh Angle International, can report.

The Kogi State Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Dr. Lawal Muhammed, made the disclosure earlier today, Tuesday June 28, while speaking on the 2022 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, where he appeared as a guest on Grace 95.5fM Lokoja.

Our Kogi State Correspondent, who monitored the programme, reports that Dr. Muhammed, described the high circulation of hard and sub-standard drugs in Kogi State by quack medicine store owners as very worrisome, stressing that, if not quickly checked, it will pose a great danger to the already fragile State of security in the country. 

According to him, recent findings by the association, revealed that school dropouts and individuals who lost their jobs from different fields, had ventured into drug businesses in Kogi State, just as they now see the sale of drugs as a way of making quick  money.

He said the association was still in the process of clamping down on more illegal medical stores and premises, adding that anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law.

"Drugs are being made available easily, especially the controlled drugs. These days, everybody go into drugs, irrespective of who they are. It is amazing to hear that recently, a woman had issues with her matrimonial home, got separated and later became a single mother. The next thing we saw, was that she now has a medical store, without any qualification to back it.

"They now see drug business as a means to survive. Somebody has lost his job, the next thing is to go into drug business. Somebody is not doing well in the business he or she is doing, the next thing is to go into drug. Drugs are not commodities you trade on. Drugs are there to render health care service and must be handled by professionals, who have indebt knowledge about it ".

Dr. Muhammed, a Pharmacist, also lamented that patent medical dealers had failed to stuck drugs in line with the acceptable guidelines in the country.

Continuing, Muhammed said: “They have their guidelines. There are categories of drugs they are supposed to store, but because of the quest for making money, you will see them storing all manners of drugs. When the regulatory agency begins to clamp down on them, they will start coming out with sentiment that we are witch-hunting them. 

"Let me quickly make an illustration. If a village hunter is allowed to carry AK 47, you will agree with me that he won't know how to use the rifle properly. The chances are high of him abusing the rifle. That is why you see that there are personnel that are allowed in handling high calibre rifles like the military. 

"The same scenarios is what is applicable to drugs. It is not every individual that is licensed to handle all kinds of drugs. We have drugs for primary, secondary and tertiary health care services. These categories of drugs are not meant to be handled by a school certificate holder or somebody who just lost his job or a road side seller. They are supposed to be handled by professionals because we have safety issues around the drugs". 

He specifically fingered importers and drug manufacturers for the growing trend of drug abuse, adding that the target given to their company representatives have strengthen the menace of drug abuse in the country.

He identified drug distribution as one of the problems negating the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria, adding that many drugs have been sold to un-authorised medicine store outlets in the country.

Speaking further, the Pharmacist said: “The drug manufacturers, importers are also part of this problem. They give out drugs to company representatives to help them market and distribute. But because the representatives are under pressure, they do otherwise. 

"Their representatives are usually given target to sell their drugs. They are expected to make millions of naira for the manufacturer within a specific time. And because they are under pressure, they don't mind where they drop the drugs".

According to him, banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery could be traced to illicit drug use, stressing that, many individuals in Kogi State and Nigeria in general, have access to all manners of drugs.

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