The Kwara State Taskforce on Counterfeit Drugs on Tuesday sealed eight patent medicine stores in Ilorin for selling counterfeit drugs and failure to register with the State Government.

The Chairman of the Taskforce, Alhaja Risikat Lawal, who led the team to seal the affected stores said the decision was to prevent the people from taking drugs that were injurious to their health.

Lawal, who is also the Director of Pharmacy in the state’s Ministry of Health, noted that sale of counterfeit and adulterated drugs had become common in the society.

She said that the affected stores were not registered with the State Government as prescribed by law.

The director said that the sealed stores had in their possession drugs that were not supposed to be sold by patent medicine stores but by pharmacies and hospitals.

According to Lawal, patent medicine stores are expected to sell ‘over-the-counter drugs’ like paracetamol, vitamin C and cough syrups that have no codeine and other related pain relieving drugs.

“Pharmacies and hospitals are expected to deal with ethical drugs and antibiotics, which are to be sold with doctor’s prescription,” she added.

She said that pharmaceutical stores were supposed to keep proper records of all controlled drugs they sold, noting that such privilege was not extended to patent medicine dealers.

The affected stores include Ayeloje Medicine Store in Edun, Charity Medicine Store at Sobi, Gramos Pharmacy at Ipata and Unique Medicine Store in Ita Ogunbo.

Others are Niya Medicine Store in Oke Kura, Ahmad Medicine Store at Oke Alfa Nda, Sukurallilah Medicine store at Pakata Road and Idera Medicine Store at Sao Garage. NAN