PCN seals 572 drug outlets in Plateau over safety violations
By Victor Idajili
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has shut 572 pharmacies, patent medicine stores and illegal medicine outlets across Plateau State after a four-day enforcement sweep for regulatory violations.
PCN Head of Enforcement, Dr Suleiman Chiroma, announced this Friday in Jos at the end of the exercise. He spoke for the Registrar/CEO, Ibrahim Ahmed.
The team inspected 778 premises in Jos South, Jos North, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan and Bassa LGAs. Violations found included cooking inside drug shops, illegal clinical practice, unauthorized access to poison cupboards, dispensing drugs beyond approved scope, and operating without valid licences.
“572 premises were sealed, including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets. Five compliance directives were also issued,” Chiroma said.
The findings raised red flags. Of 199 pharmacies visited, 60% were sealed. “This reflects a deeply concerning standard of pharmaceutical practice within the state and underscores the need for PCN to intensify regulatory efforts in Plateau,” Chiroma stated.
Only 40% of pharmacies inspected were in good standing, and many had incomplete registration. The Council also noted that just 26% of all premises checked were pharmacies. The rest were patent medicine vendors or illegal outlets.
Chiroma warned the breaches threaten public safety. “Such practices pose grave risks to public health and national security, as controlled medicines may be diverted into the hands of criminal elements and insurgents,” he said.
He said the operation followed the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act No. 31 of 2022 and the Federal Government’s National Drug Distribution Guidelines, which aim to clean up Nigeria’s “chaotic drug distribution system” by ensuring drugs move only through approved channels.
“The ongoing enforcement initiative is systematically disengaging non-professional actors from the pharmaceutical supply chain and remedying deficiencies in storage infrastructure. This is fundamental to eradicating substandard and falsified medicines,” he added.
Despite the mass closures, PCN said illegal outlets accounted for just 10% of premises inspected and 14% of those sealed, indicating relatively low prevalence in Plateau compared to compliance gaps among registered outlets.
“The PCN remains unwavering in its mandate to safeguard integrity in pharmaceutical practice. All premises handling medicines will face rigorous, sustained oversight,” Chiroma stressed.
The Council urged residents to patronize only licensed pharmacies and approved patent medicine vendors.
