Pharmacy council seals 666 medicines stores in Kaduna over ‘illegal operation’

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 666 medicine stores in open drug markets and other locations in Kaduna state.

Stephen Esumobi, the PCN’s director of enforcement, told journalists in Kaduna on Thursday that the premises were sealed for offences ranging from the sale of medicines in the open drug market and operating without registration with PCN.

He said there are other violations such as poor documentation and storage facilities, and stocking ethical products without a pharmacist’s supervision.

“We visited 75 pharmacies, 514 patent medicine shops, and 306 other premises. The sealed premises included 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicines,” NAN quoted Esumobi as saying.

Esumobi added that the council also uncovered wholesalers engaging in retail activities, patent medicine shops engaging in clinical practice, and training of apprentices, among others.

“One major obstacle militating against the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria is the sale of medicines in open drug markets,” he said.

“Many medicine shops in the open drug markets and some other locations across the Kaduna state are not registered by the PCN and are operating illegally.

“The storage conditions for medicines in these premises are poor, as medicines are stored at temperature and humidity conditions that are at variance with manufacturers recommendations.

“The implication of this is that most of the medicines sold in these locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients.

“Some of the products of degradation of these medicines are harmful, thus posing a threat to public health.

“The premises do not have pharmacists to supervise the sale of ethical medicines and other medicines with a narrow margin of safety, thus exposing consumers to the harmful consequences of the wrong use of the medicines.”

He said most of the medicine dealers engage in the illegal sale of substances of abuse to members of the public, aggravating the social and security challenges in the country.