PCN shuts 572 pharmacies, drug stores in Plateau

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 572 pharmacies, patent medicine stores and illegal drug outlets across Plateau State for various regulatory violations uncovered during a four-day enforcement exercise.

Speaking at a press briefing in Jos on Friday, the Head of Enforcement, Suleiman Chiroma, said the operation was conducted under the provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022.

According to him, 778 premises were inspected across Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan and Bassa local government areas. The facilities inspected included 199 pharmacies, 499 patent medicine stores and 80 illegal outlets.

The enforcement team sealed 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores and all 80 illegal outlets, while five compliance directives were issued.

Chiroma said the exercise was aimed at enforcing the National Drug Distribution Guidelines and eliminating unqualified operators from the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Among the violations recorded were cooking inside drug outlets, unauthorized clinical practice, unlawful storage and dispensing of medicines, illegal access to controlled drugs, operating without valid licences and obstruction of regulatory officers.

He described the findings as alarming, noting that about 60 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were sealed for non-compliance.

The official warned that such practices pose serious risks to public health and could facilitate the diversion of controlled medicines to criminal elements.

The council also expressed concern over the low compliance rate among registered pharmacies, revealing that only 40 per cent of the pharmacies inspected met regulatory requirements.

PCN Registrar, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, reaffirmed the council’s commitment to ensuring that medicines are sold only through licensed and professionally regulated channels.

The council urged residents to patronise only PCN-approved outlets displaying valid licences, stressing that it would continue to enforce regulations to protect public health and curb the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines.