PCN seals over 500 drug outlets in Cross River, gives reasons

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has raised concerns about pharmaceutical practice in Cross River State after inspections across 10 local government areas found that 48.3 per cent of medicine outlets were operating illegally.

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The Council said it sealed 505 pharmaceutical premises for regulatory violations, describing the findings as a major threat to public health and the integrity of the medicine supply chain.

Disclosing this at a news conference on Friday in Calabar, PCN’s Director of Enforcement, Suleiman Chiroma, said the findings were the outcome of a four-day enforcement exercise in Cross River.

Mr Chiroma said the operation, conducted under the directive of the Registrar of PCN, Ibrahim Ahmed, covered Bekwara, Yakurr, Obubra, Ikom, Yala, Ogoja, Akamkpa, Odukpani, Calabar Municipal and Calabar South local government areas.

He said inspectors visited 602 premises, comprising 94 pharmacies, 217 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores and 291 illegal medicine outlets.

“Five hundred and five premises were sealed, including 54 pharmacies, 160 PPMV stores and all 291 illegal outlets, while 13 compliance directives were issued.

“Illegal premises constituted 48.3 per cent of facilities inspected and accounted for 57.8 per cent of all premises sealed during the exercise.

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“Only 42.5 per cent of pharmacies inspected complied fully with regulatory standards, while compliance among PPMV stores stood at 26.8 per cent,” Mr Chiroma said.

He noted that every illegal outlet identified during the exercise was sealed in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022.

Speaking further, Mr Chiroma said major violations included operating without valid PCN licences, poor storage of medicines, unauthorised access to controlled medicines, and illegal apprenticeship training.

He warned that the 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,” he said.

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He recalled that a woman linked to two pharmaceutical shops in Calabar was recently sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for similar regulatory offences.

The enforcement director urged residents to obtain medicines only from PCN-licensed premises and to verify valid licences displayed before purchasing pharmaceutical products.

He 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.

(NAN)