The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has shut down 666 illegal medicine shops in Kaduna State for operating without proper registration and supervision, violating the National Drug Distribution Guidelines.
This move aims to ensure the safe distribution of medicines, protect public health, and prevent the sale of harmful substances in the state.
The enforcement exercise, which began earlier in the week, targeted open drug markets and other locations across the state where medicines were sold illegally. PCN Director of Enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, spoke at a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, explaining that the sealed premises included 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicine shops.
“At the end of the enforcement exercise, which began early this week, a total of eight hundred and ninety-five (895) premises were visited. This is made up of seventy-five (75) pharmacies, five hundred and fourteen (514) patent medicine shops, and three hundred and six (306) illegal premises,” Esumobi said. 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.”
Esumobi noted that the PCN team issued nine compliance directives to owners of shops found to be operating illegally. He emphasized that the council would not tolerate the sale of medicines in open drug markets and other unregistered locations. “We will continue to enforce the National Drug Distribution Guidelines to protect public health and prevent the sale of harmful substances,” he said.
He also highlighted that many of the sealed shops were not registered with the council, and their operations posed a significant risk to public health due to poor storage conditions that did not meet manufacturers’ recommendations. “The implication of this is that most of the medicines sold in these locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients,” he warned.
Esumobi assured that the PCN would provide assistance to owners of sealed shops who are willing to comply with regulations, but he warned that the council would take further action against any medicine dealers who continue to operate illegally.
