Pharmacy Council closes 666 illegal medicine shops in Kaduna

For operating in violation of National Drug Distribution Guidelines, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has closed 666 unregistered medicine shops in Kaduna State.

The enforcement action commenced earlier this week, focusing on open drug markets and other locations where medicines were sold without proper registration and oversight.

Briefing newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday, the PCN Director of Enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, explained that the initiative aimed to ensure the safe and effective distribution of medicines, safeguard public health, and prevent the sale of harmful substances within the state.

According to him, the crackdown involved 895 premises, including 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicine shops.

During the enforcement, 9 compliance directives were issued to owners of establishments found to be operating unlawfully.

Esumobi stated that at the end of the enforcement exercise which began early this week, a total of eight hundred and ninety-five (895) premises were visited, explaining that it is made up of seventy-five (75) pharmacies, five hundred and fourteen (514) patent medicine shops, and three hundred and six (306) illegal premises.

He added, “A total of six hundred and sixty-six (666) premises were sealed.

“The premises sealed include forty-seven (47) pharmacies, three hundred and thirteen (313) patent medicine shops, and three hundred and six (306) illegal medicine shops.”

He stated that the PCN would not tolerate the sale of medicines in open drug markets and other unregistered locations, assuring that they would continue to enforce the National Drug Distribution Guidelines to protect public health and prevent the sale of harmful substances.

Esumobi stated that unregistered medicine shops operating in open markets across Kaduna State posed significant risks to public health due to substandard storage conditions, which could lead to the degradation of medicines.

The implication, he explained, was that most of the medicines sold in those locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients.

He warned that the PCN would not hesitate to take further action against non-compliant medicine dealers and reiterated the council’s commitment to assist those who wished to adhere to the regulations.