The Oyo State government has condemned the action of the owner of FinRel Pharmacy, who broke the seal on his business premises, after he was found guilty of violating the veterinary premises law.
A statement jointly signed by the state Commissioners for Information and Orientation and Agriculture and Rural Development, Prince Dotun Oyelade and Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, respectively, said that surveillance agents of the Agriculture Ministry confirmed the incident.
The statement said that the reasons for sealing FinRel Pharmacy Store at Asolo, Olorunsogo area, in Ibadan, is not cast in stone, adding that it will take appropriate legal actions against the management of the pharmacy, within the ambit of the law.
The statement confirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s action was premised on its efforts to curtail any outbreak of any animals to humans’ diseases – zoonotic.
After receiving an intel that a veterinary doctor with FinRel Pharmacy, Dr. Ayorinde Benjamin, with VC RG No 10257, was treating dogs at a barbecue spot of the Pharmacy and Veterinary Store, the ministry promptly visited the said premises.
Reacting to a statement by the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, the commissioners placed on record that the Oyo State government is not interested in who sells human and veterinary medicine.
The statement said, “The present government in the state would not allow any person or group of persons’ selfish interest and unprofessional acts to put the health of the general public at risk.”
Affirming that the Oyo State government would not fold its arms on any unprofessional act that is liable to put the entire state in jeopardy and enhance an outbreak of diseases, the statement further stated the following reports that indicted FinRel Pharmacy:
First, the officers from the ministry were denied access to the FinRel Pharmacy vaccine storage; FinRel Pharmacy did not register as a veterinary pharmacy, as captured by the Oyo State Veterinary Premises Law, 2017; and has not equally registered as veterinary clinic as required by section 3 subsection 1 of the Private Veterinary Premises and Veterinary Establishment Law of Oyo State, 2017.
The statement added that FinRel Pharmacy Manager, named Pharmacist Rachel, confirmed that they sell, treat and administer vaccines on animals at the pharmacy; just as the officers were equally denied access to the pharmacy’s veterinary log book that is expected to contain all the veterinary activities of the pharmacy.
The same pharmacy, FinRel, also advertised free anti-rabies vaccine promo for dogs, if goods bought were worth N10,000 between 1st and 30th August, 2023.
Sequel to the above, FinRel Pharmacy veterinary doctor was invited for investigation by the Oyo State Committee on Regulations of Veterinary Premises and Veterinary Establishment on 16th of August, 2023, at the Office of the Director, Veterinary Services of the ministry.
The statement further revealed that during the investigation, the FinRel Pharmacy veterinary doctor, Dr. Ayorinde Benjamin, with VC RG No 10257 agreed that he was still in the employment of FinRel Pharmacy and that he was the same person in the said viral video treating dog at FinRel barbecue spot, which is a public health risk to the people of the state.
The said Dr. Ayorinde, however, apologized for his unethical and unprofessional conduct, saying that it was at the directive of his employer.
The Oyo State government added that as part of the ongoing aggressive campaign and awareness by it to sensitize the general public, most especially the stakeholders in veterinary activities, to prevent outbreak of Anthrax and other zoonotic diseases, it on Monday, 29th August, 2023, ordered the sealing of the said FinRel Pharmacy and Veterinary Store at Asolo, Olorunsogo area, Ibadan, accompanied with men of the Nigerian Police from the Police Headquarters, Eleyele.
The Oyo State government therefore urged the general public and law abiding citizens to support efforts of the state government to protect lives and properties in the state.
