PCN Cracks Down on Plateau State, Seals 572 Pharmacies Over Regulatory Breaches

In a bid to sanitize the pharmaceutical industry in Plateau State, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed a total of 572 pharmacies and patent medicine stores across the state for various infractions. According to Dr. Suleiman S. Chiroma, the Head of Department, Enforcement, who spoke on behalf of the Registrar/CEO, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, the enforcement exercise, which lasted four days, was carried out in line with the Council's mandate under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act No. 31 of 2022. The operation, which covered seven local government areas, including Jos South, Jos North, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua'an Pan, and Bassa, inspected a total of 778 premises, comprising 199 pharmacies, 499 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets. The PCN discovered several infractions, including cooking inside drug outlets, unauthorized clinical practice, and unauthorized access to controlled medicines. Dr. Chiroma stated that 'the PCN is mandated to regulate and control pharmacy education, training, and practice in all its aspects and ramifications, including Pharmacy Technicians and Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs).' He explained that the crackdown was part of efforts to enforce the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), developed by the Federal Government to address Nigeria's 'chaotic drug distribution system.' The Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, reaffirmed the Council's commitment to advancing critical health sector reforms in furtherance of Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians, emphasizing that 'the availability of safe and quality medicines remains indispensable to the delivery of effective healthcare services.' The enforcement team sealed 572 premises, including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets, and issued five compliance directives. Dr. Chiroma described the findings as 'deeply concerning,' noting that 60 percent of the pharmacies visited were sealed. The PCN also flagged the dominance of unqualified outlets, with only 26 percent of the total premises inspected being pharmacies. The Council warned of the broader danger posed by the infractions, including the risk of controlled medicines being diverted into the hands of criminal elements and insurgents. Despite the high number of closures, the Council noted that illegal operations were relatively low, with 10 percent of the premises visited operating illegally. However, compliance among registered pharmacies remained poor, with only 40 percent of the pharmacies inspected being in good standing. The PCN stressed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the pharmaceutical practice environment and ensuring that all Nigerians have access to safe, quality-assured medicines dispensed solely by duly trained and licensed professionals.