The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria sealed 598 pharmaceutical premises in Kaduna State following a four-day enforcement exercise. The crackdown targeted regulatory violations across 10 local government areas, during which 828 premises were inspected, including 123 pharmacies, 631 patent medicine stores and 74 unlicensed facilities. Of those sealed, 68 were pharmacies, 456 were patent medicine stores and all 74 unlicensed outlets were shut down. Two vendors were arrested for gross breaches of the PCN Act, while four compliance directives were issued. Suleiman Chiroma, head of enforcement, stated that violations included illegal operations, improper handling of medicines and the sale of prescription-only drugs by unauthorised vendors. He highlighted that some patent medicine sellers were dispensing controlled substances, a practice he described as a serious threat to public health. Chiroma noted that only 9% of inspected premises operated illegally, with 28% fully compliant, including 45% of pharmacies and 28% of patent medicine stores. He reiterated that drugs could become harmful without professional guidance and urged the public to obtain medicines only from licensed pharmacies with visible licences and qualified pharmacists on site.
Suleiman Chiroma's team shut down nearly 600 drug outlets, yet only two arrests were made despite widespread illegal drug sales. This suggests enforcement may be more focused on closures than on holding individuals accountable for endangering public health. Ordinary Nigerians still face risks buying medicines from unlicensed vendors, especially where oversight is inconsistent. The council's warnings about drug misuse ring hollow if penalties remain light while illegal sales persist.
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