The Lagos State task force on counterfeit, fake drugs, and unwholesome processed foods has shut 20 pharmacies and patent medicine stores at Shomolu, Bariga, and Oworonshoki areas of the State.

The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement on Thursday, said the affected pharmacies and patent medicine stores were shut for contravening regulations guiding the operations of pharmacies and patent medicine stores, including indulging in illegal practices and failing to comply with the regulatory standard.

Abayomi was quoted to have said this after reviewing the report of the recent monitoring, inspection, and enforcement exercises carried out by the taskforce.

He said, “The sealing of the affected pharmacies and patent medicine stores was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act of 1999.”

The Commissioner added that the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops were also sealed for offences including inappropriate storage conditions of drugs, absence of licenced pharmacists during business hours, selling of drugs not on the approved list and the display of expired drugs for sale.

Abayomi noted that the law prohibits wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors and also prohibits wholesalers from operating beyond their scope.

He promised that the activities of the state taskforce on fake drugs would not only be sustained, but intensified until stakeholders in the pharmaceutical value chain appreciates the need to adhere strictly to the provisions of the law.

Similarly, the Kano State Government sealed off a private clinic and arrested a nutritionist for allegedly posing as a nurse.

This was contained in a statement by the Executive Secretary, Private Health Institutions Management Agency, Dr Usman Aliyu, and made available to journalists in Kano on Thursday.

Aliyu said the health facility, Nasiha Clinic, in the Gaya Local Government Area of the state, was discovered to have admitted two male patients with medical conditions, who were being attended to by the nutritionist, who posed as a nurse.

“The nutritionist was masquerading as a nurse and administering medication to the patients, which by every standard is quackery, according to the laws and guidelines of the PHIMA. The clinic was also in a very poor sanitary condition,” the statement said.

According to it, the inspection and raid on the hospital were based on the complaints of residents of the area and suspicion on how patients were being treated at the facility.

“The inspection team of the agency also raided some facilities in the Wudil and Ajingi local government areas of the state,” the statement added. ,,