The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed-off 666 medicine shops, including 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine stores, and 306 illegal premises, in Kaduna State as part of a major enforcement drive.
The crackdown, according to the Council, followed concerns over unregulated medicine sales and the poor storage of pharmaceuticals, which could pose severe risks to public health.
The enforcement exercise, which took place over the past week, saw officials visit 895 premises across the state.
It was gathered that out of these, the sealed outlets were found to be operating without proper registration, stocking prescription drugs without a supervising pharmacist, or engaging in other illegal activities.
Many were flagged for poor documentation and inadequate storage conditions that failed to meet pharmaceutical standards.
PCN’s Director of Enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, while addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday stated that, the sale of medicines in open drug markets remains a critical issue in Nigeria.
He said the markets often operate without qualified pharmacists and sell drugs that may no longer be effective or safe due to improper storage conditions, adding that, medicines sold in such conditions pose a grave threat to public health.
The sealed premises also included shops involved in the illegal sale of substances of abuse, exacerbating the region’s social and security challenges.
PCN Enforcement Director however urged operators of the sealed premises to comply with regulations, adding that the PCN’s Kaduna office would assist those willing to adhere to the guidelines.
The PCN reiterated its commitment to ensuring the rational distribution of medicines that are safe, effective, and of good quality across the healthcare system in Nigeria.
Source: The Nation
