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The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 430 medicine outlets across 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Yobe State following a four-day enforcement exercise targeting illegal pharmaceutical practices.
Disclosing the outcome at a news conference in Damaturu, PCN’s Head of Enforcement, Mr. Suleiman Chiroma, revealed that the team inspected 601 premises, including 34 pharmacies, 267 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) outlets, and 300 unregistered facilities.
All 300 illegal outlets were shut down, accounting for roughly 70 percent of total closures. Additionally, 20 pharmacies and 110 patent medicine stores were sealed for regulatory breaches, while 21 compliance directives were issued to other operators.
The operation covered the Damaturu, Jakusko, Potiskum, Fika, Fune, Nguru, Nangere, Bade, Karasuwa, and Machina LGAs.
Key Findings and Compliance Issues
High Rate of Illegality: Half of all inspected premises (50%) were operating illegally across the state.
Low Access to Formal Pharmacy Services: Licensed pharmacies made up only 6% (34) of the total inspected premises.
Low Compliance: Only 41% of inspected pharmacies and 63% of patent medicine outlets fully met regulatory standards.
Common Violations: Operating without valid PCN licenses, substandard storage conditions, unauthorized access to controlled substances, and utilizing unqualified personnel or apprentices.
Chiroma warned that these infractions expose residents to substandard or falsified drugs, risking treatment failure, drug misuse, antimicrobial resistance, and avoidable deaths. He added that the illicit handling of controlled medicines poses national security risks by fueling criminal networks.
National Drug Mandate
The enforcement was directed by PCN Registrar Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed in alignment with the PCN Establishment Act No. 31 of 2022 and the National Drug Distribution Guidelines. The initiative aims to eliminate unregulated drug markets, strengthen supply chain oversight, and support Universal Health Coverage goals. As part of these guidelines, Coordinated Wholesale Centres have been established in Kano, Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba, with the Kano facility fully operational.
Chiroma advised Yobe residents to purchase medicines strictly from outlets displaying a valid PCN license, assuring the public that continuous regulatory oversight will persist state-wide to guarantee access to safe, quality-assured medications. (NAN)
