What specific pest control requirements apply to a medicine warehouse? Can we handle it ourselves?

Pests (such as rodents, cockroaches, ants and birds) pose a direct threat to the packaging and quality of medicines. An effective, ongoing pest control programme is therefore a basic GDP requirement for storage facilities. The programme should be based on a risk assessment of the warehouse environment. Specific requirements include: 1. Keep the area around the warehouse clean and remove potential breeding sites; 2. Ensure the warehouse structure is in good condition and seal all possible pest entry points (such as gaps around doors and openings for pipes); 3. Strategically place monitoring and control devices, such as rodent traps and insect glue boards, inside and outside the warehouse, and prepare a placement plan; 4. Inspect these devices regularly and record inspection findings and any pests caught; 5. Manage waste strictly and remove it promptly. As pesticides may themselves contaminate medicines, open toxic baits and spray pesticides should be avoided in medicine storage areas.