The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) announced on Friday that it has sealed 724 pharmacies and medicine stores in Kwara State due to faulty regulatory compliance. Registrar Ibrahim Ahmed disclosed this in Ilorin while briefing journalists on the outcome of a four-day enforcement exercise conducted by PCN personnel.
Enforcement Across 10 Local Governments
The enforcement operation covered 10 local government areas, including Ilorin South, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Asa, Offa, Ifelodun, Oyun, Moro, Irepodun, and Edu. Represented by Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, the registrar stated that over the four-day period, the team inspected a total of 1,238 premises, comprising 167 pharmacies, 957 patent medicine stores, and 114 illegal outlets.
Consequently, 724 premises were sealed, including 68 pharmacies, 542 patent medicine stores, and all 114 illegal outlets. Additionally, 11 compliance directives were issued. Of the total premises inspected, 9% were found to be operating illegally.
Breaches and Compliance Rates
Illegal premises accounted for 15.7% of all facilities sealed due to one or more regulatory breaches. Among licensed operators, 59.2% of pharmacies inspected were in full compliance with regulatory standards, compared with 43% of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets. As required by law, 100% of the illegal premises identified were sealed.
The breaches uncovered include operation without a valid PCN licence, poor storage conditions, unauthorized access to controlled medicines, training of apprentices in unapproved settings, and cooking in patent medicine shops. These practices endanger public health and pose risks to national security when controlled drugs are diverted to criminal networks.
Improved Regulatory Outcomes
The registrar noted that the outcome of the enforcement exercise reflected a relatively low rate of violations, indicating improved regulatory outcomes in the state. He warned that any breach of established regulations will be met with decisive enforcement action by the Council.
Ahmed urged members of the public to always obtain their medicines from premises duly licensed by the PCN to avert treatment failures, antimicrobial resistance, and possible deaths. He explained that a duly licensed facility can be verified through the valid PCN license prominently displayed within the premises.
The PCN registrar emphasized that the Council is committed to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in line with the federal government's health agenda. He stated that UHC is unattainable without access to safe, effective, quality-assured, and affordable medicines. When medicines are dispensed by untrained persons or stored in unsuitable conditions, treatment failures, antimicrobial resistance, and avoidable deaths increase.
