PCN seals 383 drug outlets in Ogun

…warns against illegal medicine sales By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 383 pharmaceutical premises across Ogun State for various regulatory violations, including operating without valid licences, poor storage of medicines and running illegal drug outlets, as part of a statewide enforcement exercise, aimed at sanitising the nation’s drug distribution system. The enforcement operation, conducted across 11 local government areas in Ogun State, saw inspectors visit 738 pharmaceutical premises, comprising 277 pharmacies, 288 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores, and 173 illegal or unregistered outlets. Presenting the outcome of the exercise at a press conference on Friday in Abeokuta, the Head of Enforcement Department of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Dr.

Suleiman Chiroma, said the exercise was carried out on the directive of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, in line with the Council’s statutory mandate under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022. According to him, 383 premises were sealed, including 123 pharmacies, 87 Patent Medicine Stores and all 173 illegal outlets, while three compliance directives were issued to operators found to have committed lesser regulatory infractions.

Chiroma said the exercise was designed to enforce compliance with the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), which seek to eliminate the menace of open drug markets and establish an organised and regulated drug distribution system across the country. He said, “the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria is statutorily mandated to regulate and control the practice of pharmacy in all its aspects, including the registration and licensing of pharmaceutical premises. No pharmaceutical premises is permitted to operate without registration and a valid licence issued by the Council”.

He explained that the National Drug Distribution Guidelines permit the distribution of medicines only through duly licensed manufacturers, importers, Coordinated Wholesale Centres, Mega Drug Distribution Centres, State Drug Distribution Centres, wholesalers, retail pharmacies and licensed Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors. According to him, illegal medicine outlets undermine this framework by creating channels through which substandard, falsified and diverted medicines find …