200 cartons of various medications have been taken from 400 locations across the nation by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) as part of a crackdown to guarantee compliance and appropriate dispensing procedures.
In a statement to newsrooms on Friday, Board CEO Dr. Fred Siyoi stated that the action was taken to regulate pharmacy practices in accordance with the government's directive to eradicate drug and substance abuse in the nation.
According to Dr. Siyoi, the operation audited pharmaceutical companies under regulation to make sure that good distribution practices for narcotic and psychotropic substances were followed.
“In response to 25 presidential directives issued on March 7th aimed at combating illicit brews, alcohol, drug, and substance abuse, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board initiated a joint multi-agency operation nationwide,” Dr. Siyoi noted.
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“In this regard, the Board has inspected 400 premises and seized 200 cartons of assorted medicines.”
The seized drugs will now be used as evidence in the ongoing legal proceedings and then disposed of in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
As a result, the head of PPB issued a warning to the public to be cautious of unlicensed distribution chemists, stressing that the medications sold on the premises might not adhere to regulations and therefore present health risks.
“Furthermore, the public was cautioned against chemists operating without names (a key indicator of illegality) and unregistered medicines, as they may not meet regulatory standards and could pose health risks,” Dr. Siyoi added.
In addition, registered public and private healthcare facilities handling pharmaceuticals were advised to be vigilant and to keep up to date on the regulations controlling the dispensing of controlled medicines. They were also encouraged to apply online for the disposal of pharmaceutical waste.
