The House of Representatives has urged the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN to urgently close all illegal outlets of pharmaceutical products and ensure that only prescribed drugs are administered to patients.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon Adamu Gamawa, on the “Need to curb indiscriminate sale of drugs and lack of adherence to prescription policy in Nigeria. “
The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Health to develop a drug prescription policy.
Collaborate with relevant agencies
It similarly urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to collaborate with relevant agencies to sensitize the public on the dangers of drug abuse.
Hon Gamawa in the motion, expressed worry that most of the drugs sold in the open drug market were either by illiterates and semi-literate drug hawkers, who marketed counterfeit, substandard or expired products.
He cautioned that failure to promptly declare a state of emergency regarding the sale of drugs and allocate resources for the identification of drug abuse response and treatment could lead to a national catastrophe of unprecedented proportions.
Consumer studies have highlighted that drug abuse significantly contributes to extremism, terrorism, violent crimes, and high school dropout rates, adversely impacting community health, security, and stability, as evidenced by various empirical studies.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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