The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 430 pharmaceutical premises in Yobe State for operating illegally or breaching regulatory requirements during a four-day enforcement operation across 10 local government areas.
The exercise, which covered 601 premises, also exposed concerns over inadequate pharmaceutical services in the state, with only 34 of the facilities inspected identified as pharmacies.
Speaking at a press conference in Damaturu on Thursday, the Head of Department, Enforcement, PCN, Suleiman Chiroma, said the operation covered Damaturu, Jakusko, Potiskum, Fika, Fune, Nguru, Nangere, Bade, Karasuwa and Machina local government areas.
He said the 601 premises inspected comprised 34 pharmacies, 267 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores and 300 unregistered or illegal outlets.
“Of the 601 premises inspected during the exercise, 50 per cent were found to be operating illegally,” Chiroma said.
He said the council also issued 21 compliance directives to operators found to have breached regulatory requirements.
According to him, all 300 unregistered and illegal premises identified during the operation were sealed in accordance with the law.
Chiroma said the scale of illegal operations uncovered during the exercise showed the need for stronger and sustained regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical activities in the state.
He said illegal premises accounted for about 70 per cent of the facilities sealed for one or more regulatory breaches.
The enforcement exercise also revealed compliance gaps among licensed operators.
“Among licensed operators, only 41 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were in full compliance with regulatory standards, thus the need to enhance monitoring.
“In comparison, 63 per cent of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets were found to be compliant,” he said.
Chiroma identified the low number of pharmacies in the state as another major concern arising from the exercise.
Of the 601 premises inspected, he said only 34, representing about six per cent, were pharmacies.
“This statistic reflects the low level of pharmaceutical care and services in the state, a situation that could undermine the goal of ensuring access to quality medicines for all citizens,” he said.
The PCN enforcement chief said the operation was conducted following a directive by the Registrar of the council, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, to enforce relevant provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022.
He said the exercise was aimed at promoting access to safe pharmaceutical services in line with the National Drug Policy.
According to him, the PCN is responsible for regulating pharmacy education, training and practice, registering pharmacists and pharmaceutical premises, inspecting facilities and enforcing professional and ethical standards.
He said the council also regulates facilities involved in the handling, storage, distribution, importation, manufacture and dispensing of medicines and medical devices.
Chiroma said the operation was part of efforts to implement the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, which seek to reduce the circulation of adulterated and falsified medicines, curb the dominance of unregulated drug markets and strengthen oversight of pharmaceutical distribution.
He said the breaches discovered during the exercise included operating without valid PCN licences, poor storage conditions, unauthorised access to controlled medicines and the improper training of apprentices.
“These practices, if not checked, pose a danger to public health and constitute risks to national security through the potential diversion of controlled medicines into criminal networks and unhealthy populations,” he said.
Chiroma warned that allowing unqualified persons to dispense medicines, as well as improper handling and storage of pharmaceutical products, could lead to treatment failure, drug abuse and misuse, antimicrobial resistance and avoidable deaths.
“These outcomes invariably increase the cost of care for patients and erode public confidence in the health system,” he said.
He said the council would continue to subject premises involved in the handling, storage and dispensing of medicines to rigorous and continuous regulatory oversight.
“Any breach of extant regulations will attract prompt and decisive enforcement action by the council,” he warned.
Chiroma urged members of the public to purchase medicines only from premises licensed by the PCN, stressing that valid licences should be prominently displayed at such facilities.
He appreciated residents of Yobe State for their cooperation during the enforcement exercise and called for continued collaboration with the council to ensure sustained access to safe, effective and quality-assured medicines.
He said the exercise was also consistent with the commitment of the Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, to support universal health coverage and the Federal Government’s health priorities by improving access to safe, potent, efficacious, quality-assured and affordable medicines and medical devices.
