The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has sealed 666 illegal medicine outlets in Kaduna State as part of an enforcement drive aimed at curbing unlawful drug distribution.
According to The PUNCH, the action, which targeted unregistered pharmacies and patent medicine stores, was carried out to uphold the National Drug Distribution Guidelines and safeguard public health.
During a press briefing in Kaduna on Thursday, the PCN Director of Enforcement, Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, revealed that the exercise involved inspections of 895 premises, including 75 pharmacies, 514 patent medicine shops, and 306 unregistered drug outlets. Of these, 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal drug shops were shut down for breaching regulations.
Esumobi stated that the closure of these outlets was due to several infractions, including selling drugs in open markets, operating without proper registration, poor storage conditions, and the unsupervised sale of prescription medications.
He emphasized that improper storage often leads to the degradation of medicines, making them unsafe for consumption.
“The sale of medicines in open markets and unregistered locations poses a significant risk to public health,” Esumobi warned. “The PCN will continue to enforce regulations to ensure that only registered and compliant outlets are allowed to operate.”
He assured that the PCN would support business owners willing to meet the necessary requirements to reopen their shops, stressing that the council remains committed to ensuring the safe and regulated distribution of medicines across the state.
