PCN seals 572 drug stores in Plateau over regulatory violations

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has sealed 572 pharmacies and patent medicine stores across Plateau State for violating pharmaceutical regulations, including cooking inside drug outlets, illegal clinical practice, and unauthorized access to controlled medicines. The Head of Department, Enforcement, Dr. Suleiman S. Chiroma, who spoke on behalf of the Registrar/CEO, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, disclosed this at a press conference in Jos on Friday at the end of the enforcement exercise, which lasted four days across the state. Chiroma said the operation was in line with the Council’s mandate under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act No. 31 of 2022. “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),” Dr. Chiroma stated. He explained that the crackdown was part of efforts to enforce the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), developed by the Federal Government to fix Nigeria’s “chaotic drug distribution system.” “The major goal of the NDDG is to ensure drug distribution through approved channels, from the point of manufacture or importation to the end user,” he said. “The ongoing enforcement initiative is systematically disengaging non-professional actors from the pharmaceutical supply chain and remedying deficiencies in storage infrastructure. This intervention is fundamental to the eradication of substandard and falsified medicinal products.” According to him, the Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, “hereby reaffirms the Council’s resolute commitment to the advancement of critical health sector reforms in furtherance of Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians. The availability of safe and quality medicines remains indispensable to the delivery of effective healthcare services.” The enforcement team covered Jos South, Jos North, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan, and Bassa Local Government Areas. A total of 778 premises were inspected, comprising 199 pharmacies, 499 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets. “Consequently, 572 premises were sealed, including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets. In addition, five compliance directives were issued,” Dr. Chiroma said. He described the findings as “deeply concerning,” noting that “of the 199 pharmacies visited, 60 percent were sealed. This finding reflects a deeply concerning standard of pharmaceutical practice within the state and underscores the need for the Pharmacy Council