PCN shut down 666 pharmacies, medicine stores in Kaduna

Officials of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) have shut down 666 unregistered pharmacy and patient medicine stores in Kaduna metropolis and Zaria City.

The officials addressed a press conference on Thursday, after embarking on an enforcement campaign exercise with security men at the pharmacy and patient medicine stores in Kaduna State.

PCN Director of Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, said “at the end of the enforcement exercise which began early this week, a total of 895 premises were visited”, pointing out that “this is made up of 75 pharmacies, 514 Patent medicine shops and 306 illegal premises.”

Esumobi explained: “a total 666 premises were sealed. The premises sealed include 47 pharmacies, 313 Patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicine shops.”

According to him, “they were sealed for offences ranging from sale of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with pharmacy council of Nigeria, Poor documentation, Poor storage facilities, Stocking of Ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist.

“Wholesalers engaging in retail activities, non-pharmacists having access to poison cupboards, patent medicine shops engaging in clinical practice and training apprentices among others. Nine compliance directives were issued.”

The PCN officials said, “one of the core mandates of the PC is ensuring rational distribution and dispensing of medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality at all levels of the health care delivery system in Nigeria.”

He noted that “for medicines to achieve optimal therapeutic outcome, they must maintain their physico-chemical and therapeutic properties as they transit from the manufacturer or importer through the various levels of the distribution chain to the end users.”

Esumobi lamented that “one major obstacle militating against the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines in Nigeria is the sale of medicines in open drug markets.”

He stressed that “the medicine shops in the open drug markets and some other locations across the Kaduna state are not registered by the PC and are operating illegally.

“The storage conditions for medicines in these premises are poor as medicines are stored at temperature and humidity conditions that are at variance with manufacturers’ recommendations.

“The implication of this is that most of the medicines sold in these locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients. Some of the products of degradation of these medicines are harmful thus posing a threat to public health.”

Esumobi stated that the PCN had communicated severally with the relevant stakeholders on the need to relocate to registrable locations or a coordinated wholesale centre as their activities are in total violation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines.