The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria recently took action against illegal medicine shops in Kaduna State. A total of 666 shops were shut down for operating without proper registration and not following the National Drug Distribution Guidelines. The enforcement targeted open drug markets and unregistered medicine shops to ensure the safe distribution and storage of medicines. The closure of 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicine shops resulted from the exercise. Nine compliance directives were issued to shop owners out of the 895 premises visited. The violations included selling medicines in open markets, lack of PCN registration, poor documentation, inadequate storage conditions, and stocking unethical products without pharmacist supervision. The Director of Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, highlighted the risks associated with these illegal operations, particularly concerning the storage of medicines. He emphasized the importance of adhering to drug distribution guidelines to protect public health and prevent the sale of harmful substances. Esumobi also mentioned the council’s willingness to support compliant shop owners and their efforts to communicate with medicine dealers in Zaria and Kaduna for relocating to registered locations or coordinated wholesale centers. This enforcement action demonstrates PCN’s commitment to maintaining the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria.
PCN shuts 666 illegal medicine shops in Kaduna
