The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 430 pharmaceutical premises in Yobe State following a four-day enforcement operation across 10 local government areas of the state.
The council said 300 of the sealed premises were unregistered and illegal outlets, while 110 were Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores and 20 were pharmacies.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Damaturu, the Head of Department, Enforcement, PCN, Suleiman Chiroma, said the enforcement team inspected 601 premises across Damaturu, Jakusko, Potiskum, Fika, Fune, Nguru, Nangere, Bade, Karasuwa and Machina local government areas.
He said the premises comprised 34 pharmacies, 267 patent medicine stores and 300 unregistered or illegal outlets.
‘Of the 601 premises inspected during the exercise, 50 per cent were found to be operating illegally,’ Chiroma said.
He added that 21 compliance directives were also issued to operators found to have breached regulatory requirements.
According to him, all 300 illegal premises identified during the exercise were sealed in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Chiroma said the high number of illegal outlets operating across the state underscored the need for the council to intensify its regulatory activities in Yobe.
He said illegal premises accounted for 70 per cent of all facilities sealed for one or more regulatory breaches.
‘Among licensed operators, only 41 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were in full compliance with regulatory standards, thus the need to enhance monitoring.
‘In comparison, 63 per cent of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets were found to be compliant,’ he said.
The PCN enforcement chief said another major concern uncovered during the exercise was the low number of pharmacies in the state.
He said only 34, representing about six per cent of the 601 premises visited, were pharmacies.
‘This statistic reflects the low level of pharmaceutical care and services in the state, a situation that could undermine the goal of ensuring access to quality medicines for all citizens,’ he said.
Chiroma said the enforcement exercise was carried out pursuant to a directive by the Registrar of the council, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, to enforce relevant provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022.
He said the exercise was aimed at ensuring the provision of and access to safe pharmaceutical services in line with the National Drug Policy.
According to him, the PCN is mandated to regulate the education, training and practice of pharmacy, register pharmacists and pharmaceutical premises, inspect facilities and enforce compliance with professional and ethical standards.
He said the council also ensures that facilities involved in the handling, storage, distribution, importation, manufacturing and dispensing of medicines and medical devices comply with extant laws and regulations.
Chiroma said the enforcement was also part of efforts to implement the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, whose objectives include reducing adulterated and falsified medicines in circulation, eliminating the dominance of unregulated drug markets and strengthening oversight of pharmaceutical distribution.
He said the breaches identified during the exercise included operating without valid PCN licences, poor storage conditions, unauthorised access to controlled medicines and the training of apprentices.
‘These practices, if not checked, pose a danger to public health and constitute risks to national security through the potential diversion of controlled medicines into criminal networks and unhealthy populations,’ he said.
He warned that dispensing medicines by unqualified persons and improper handling and storage of medicines could contribute to treatment failure, drug abuse and misuse, antimicrobial resistance and avoidable deaths.
‘These outcomes invariably increase the cost of care for patients and erode public confidence in the health system,’ Chiroma said.
He said the council would continue to subject all premises involved in the handling, storage and dispensing of medicines to rigorous and continuous regulatory oversight.
‘Any breach of extant regulations will attract prompt and decisive enforcement action by the council,’ he warned.
Chiroma urged members of the public to obtain medicines only from premises licensed by the PCN, stressing that valid licences must be prominently displayed at the facilities.
He said the council appreciated the cooperation of the people of Yobe State during the enforcement exercise and called for continued collaboration to ensure sustained access to safe, effective and quality-assured medicines.
He said the enforcement exercise was in line with the commitment of the Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, to support universal health coverage and the Federal Government’s health priorities through improved access to safe, potent, efficacious, quality-assured and affordable medicines and medical devices.