Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said that cough syrups with codeine would henceforth be treated as a narcotic medicine would no longer be sold over the counter.

Chukwu said this in Abuja yesterday when the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr Olumide Akintayo, and the new national executive council of the society paid him a courtesy visit.

He expressed concern over the rising abuse of cough syrup with codeine, and said that the ministry was taking drastic steps to regulate the availability of the drug.

The minister said that government was also committed to creating an enabling environment for local pharmaceutical industries to thrive.

"We are in the process of inaugurating a National Drug Advisory Team and launch the National Drug Distribution Guidelines on Feb. 7," he said.

He also urged them to register their drugs with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Speaking earlier, Akintayo commended the government and called for the reconstitution of the board of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, to enable it perform its statutory responsibilities.

- NAN