Former registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Elijah Muhammad, stated on Thursday that an uncontrolled free drug market poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.
According to The Punch, Muhammad made this revelation in Lagos during the 2023 International Conference and Investiture, which was hosted by the Courier and Logistics Management Institute.
According to Goldstein Market Intelligence analyst prediction, the sector will be worth $5.3 billion by 2024.
“I don’t know what the next generation will look like if we don’t address the issue of an open drug market where people access drugs from everywhere,” he said,
Muhammad emphasized the vital significance that money plays in the Pharmacy Council’s position as a regulating agency, saying, “Neglecting to finance the Council would be counterproductive, with far-reaching consequences for drug safety and public health.”
Muhammad highlighted the government’s continuous efforts to guarantee appropriate drug delivery in a recent statement, but he also raised concerns about possible dangers if people are permitted to self-regulate in the open drug market.
He issued a warning, saying, “This could jeopardize the progress made in securing a safe and regulated pharmaceutical environment and lead to significant problems for the entire country.”
Muhammad emphasized the critical necessity of giving the government’s realistic and practical approach top priority while emphasizing the need to save lives from drug usage.
“We have to take decisive action to deal with this matter. A properly financed Pharmacy Council is essential to achieve effective drug control because lives are at risk,” he stated.
Advocating for the continued jurisdiction of the Pharmacy Council under the Federal Government, Muhammed explained, “Centralised authority is essential for effectively controlling players in the open drug market, especially those who may resist regulation.
“It ensures a coordinated and robust regulatory framework. Everybody now takes drugs without proper knowledge, and no prescription.”
Muhammed concluded by stating, “Swift action is essential to ensure the sustained growth of the sector, protect public health, and mitigate the adverse effects of drug abuse resulting from unregulated drug markets.”
He called on the Courier and Logistics Management Institute, an academic and professional institute, and other bodies in the logistics sector to be involved in tackling this menace.
