The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) last week in Plateau State carried out enforcement exercise to regulate and control pharmacy education, training and practice in all its aspects and ramifications.

Due to the chaotic drug distribution system in Nigeria, the Federal Government developed the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG) with the sole aim of streamlining the drug distribution system.

The PCN has been saddled with the legal responsibility to enforce the NDDG to enforce the NDDG to ensure drug distribution through approved channels from the point of manufacture or importation to the end user.

Head of Department for the Enforcement of PCN, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma in a chat with journalists in Jos at the weekend, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan and Bassa local governments.

Chiroma declared that during operation, the team inspected a total of 778 premises comprising 199 pharmacies, 499 patent medicine stores and 80 illegal outlets.

He consequently said that 572 premises were sealed including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores and 80 illegal outlets.

According to him, of the 199 pharmacies visited, 60 percent were sealed. “This finding reflects a deeply concerning standard of pharmaceutical practice within the state and underscores the need for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to intensify its efforts in Plateau State.

“It was further observed that only 26% of the total premises inspected across the state were pharmacies, while the remainder comprised Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) and illegally operated outlets.”

Chiroma further explained that of the 778 premises visited, 10 percent were operating illegally and accounted for 14 percent of all premises sealed during the exercise.

“This indicates a relatively low prevalence of illegal premises in Plateau State. Further analysis reveals that only 40% of the pharmacies inspected were in good standing, a figure that remains unsatisfactory. A significant number of pharmacies were found to have incomplete registration status,” he stressed.

Chiroma further elucidated that the affected premises were sealed for non-compliance with statutory provisions of the PCN Act.

He listed the documented violations to include cooking and preparation of food in both pharmacies and patent medicine stores and patent medicine stores and failure to produce valid licences or evidence of registration upon lawful demand.

Other documented violations include engaging in unauthorised clinical practice and over-stocking beyond approved list for PPMVs, operating illegal premises and willful obstruction of duly authorized pharmaceutical inspectors from discharging their duties.

He rounded off by saying that the PCN remains unwavering in its statutory mandate to safeguard integrity within the pharmaceutical practice environment.

Every Nigerian, according to him, is entitled to access safe quality assured medicines, dispensed solely by duly trained and licensed professionals.