NAFDAC said, “Anybody found selling more than OTC drugs would be sanctioned and prosecuted.”

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has warned patent medicine dealers not to convert their shops to hospitals.

The Head of NAFDAC in Anambra, Christiana Esenwah, gave the warning on Saturday in Onitsha, while addressing members of Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers, NAPPMED, Anambra chapter.

Mr. Esenwah said that patent medicine dealers were not expected to go beyond selling “Over The Counter (OTC) drugs’’.

According to her, the agency, through its council areas’ desk officers, is ready to clampdown on anybody found operating outside the scope of NAFDAC regulations.

“As NAFDAC is partnering with you to rid most localities of fake and sub-standard drugs; I must not fail to warn you against converting your shops to hospitals or something close to that.

“Anybody found selling more than OTC drugs would be sanctioned and prosecuted, while his or her licence will be withdrawn permanently.

“NAFDAC will be coming to your shops no matter how remote you think they are; because we have learnt that some fake and sub-standard drug paddlers and manufacturers now use remote localities as operational base,’’ she noted.

Albert Ndujife, the state’s NAPPMED President-General, assured that the members of the association would cooperate with NAFDAC in the fight against fake and sub-standard drugs.

“We would make sure that all our members conduct their businesses as stipulated by NAFDAC laid down regulations,’’ he assured.

(NAN)