In celebrating World Pharmacists Day 2024, the Pharmaceuticals Society of Nigeria (PSN) is asking the government to help stop fake pharmacists and the selling of fake medicine.
Adewale Adenugba, the chairman of the Ogun State PSN, spoke to the DAILY POST on Wednesday. He warned that fake pharmacists need to stop their wrong actions, or they will be punished by the law.
Adenugba is sad because people who are not real pharmacists are now selling medicines. These fake pharmacists are running unlicensed pharmacies in many places like Kuto in Abeokuta and Oke-Aje in Ijebu-Ode.
He mentioned Kano’s big market as an example of where the council is working hard to close shops selling fake drugs. He said Ogun State will also take action.
Adenugba said, “We have many problems, and we are trying our best to fix them. There are many fake pharmacists selling medicines by the roadside. Even recently, NAFDAC found someone in Lagos making fake chloroquine and other drugs.”
This is a big problem for everyone, so we are working with NAFDAC and NDLEA to fight drug abuse too. In places like Kuto market in Ogun State, fake drugs are everywhere. The same goes for new and old markets in Ijebu-Ode.
“We need a special team to watch and stop these activities. We want the state government to help us create this team,” Adenugba said.
The theme for this year’s World Pharmacists Day is ‘Meeting Global Health Needs.’ Adenugba said it shows how important pharmacists are in solving health problems worldwide.
He also shared that many private hospitals in the state are not using pharmacists correctly. They dispense medicine without having a pharmacist present.
“In hospitals, people don’t understand the role of pharmacists. Private hospitals have pharmacies but give out medicine without a pharmacist,” he explained.
He wants drugs to be given out the right way in private hospitals.
Adenugba advised people to buy drugs from well-known pharmacies and always check if the drugs are approved by NAFDAC.