LASG seals 345 pharmacies, hospitals

About 317 pharmacies and 28 hospitals were sealed off by the Lagos State Government in the last one year. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who explained that they were shut for varying offences, including illegal dealing of pharmaceutical products, said this while briefing the press on the activities of his ministry in the last one year. 

He added that 1,089 private health facilities registration were renewed, while 305 new pharmacies were opened during the period. Idris said, “The shut facilities were found violating health practices and the state had no alternative but to shut them to avert any mortality resulting from sales and production of dangerous product.” The commissioner added that the government might shut another 114 health facilities out of the 1,182 that were monitored in the last 12 months.

 He said, “However,45 new patent medicine shops were registered, while approval for 84 premises are being awaited. And there are 2,547 pharmacy outlets in existence.”
He said that a total of 4, 447 patients were attended to by the state ambulance service, LASAMBUS, while 2,203 of them were road accident victims. 

He added that 5,634 emergency cases were attend to in the year under review. Idris explained that among the victims,49 suffered assault injuries, while 13 suffered gunshot wounds. Idris however said the state government screened 35, 243 pupils from 67 public schools in the state. He said, “The most prevalent medical condition seen among the pupils were scabies/ringworm, malnutrition, and acute respiratory infection. 

The commissioner added that to address malnutrition, 59, 303 pupils in 1, 023 public primary schools benefitted from the 1.5 million milk sachet distributed by the state government in partnership with a private organisation.