PCN Enforcement Exercise Uncovers Widespread Illegal Pharmaceutical Operations
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has raised serious concerns about pharmaceutical practice in Cross River State following a four-day enforcement exercise across 10 local government areas. The operation revealed that 48.3 per cent of medicine outlets were operating illegally, prompting the sealing of 505 premises for regulatory violations, which the council described as a major threat to public health and the integrity of the medicine supply chain.
According to Suleiman Chiroma, PCN's Director of Enforcement, the exercise was conducted under the directive of the Registrar of PCN, Ibrahim Ahmed, and covered Bekwara, Yakurr, Obubra, Ikom, Yala, Ogoja, Akamkpa, Odukpani, Calabar Municipal, and Calabar South local government areas. Speaking at a news conference in Calabar on Friday, Mr Chiroma disclosed the findings, emphasizing the scale of non-compliance.
Statistics from the Inspection: 602 Premises Inspected, 505 Sealed
During the operation, inspectors visited 602 premises, comprising 94 pharmacies, 217 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores, and 291 illegal medicine outlets. A total of 505 premises were sealed, including 54 pharmacies, 160 PPMV stores, and all 291 illegal outlets. Additionally, 13 compliance directives were issued.
Mr Chiroma highlighted that illegal premises constituted 48.3 per cent of facilities inspected and accounted for 57.8 per cent of all premises sealed during the exercise. He further noted that only 42.5 per cent of pharmacies inspected complied fully with regulatory standards, while compliance among PPMV stores stood at 26.8 per cent. Every illegal outlet identified was sealed in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022.
Major Violations and Public Health Risks
Mr Chiroma outlined major violations observed during the exercise, including operating without valid PCN licences, poor storage of medicines, unauthorised access to controlled medicines, and illegal apprenticeship training. He warned that these practices encourage the circulation of substandard, falsified, and diverted medicines, resulting in treatment failure, antimicrobial resistance, avoidable deaths, and increased healthcare costs.
“Uncontrolled access to regulated medicines could fuel criminal activities through diversion into illegal channels, posing risks to national security,” Mr Chiroma said. He recalled that a woman linked to two pharmaceutical shops in Calabar was recently sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for similar regulatory offences.
He urged residents to obtain medicines only from PCN-licensed premises and to verify valid licences displayed before purchasing pharmaceutical products. The enforcement director reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to sustained enforcement to protect the pharmaceutical supply chain and to support Universal Health Coverage through access to safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines.
