No fewer than 572 pharmacies, patent medicine stores and illegal medicine outlets have been sealed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria across Plateau State.

The enforcement action followed various violations of pharmaceutical regulations, including cooking within drug outlets, illegal clinical practice, and unauthorised access to controlled medicines.

The Head of Department, Enforcement of the PCN, Dr Suleiman Chiroma, disclosed this at a press conference in Jos on Friday at the end of a four-day statewide enforcement exercise.

Chiroma, who spoke on behalf of the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Ibrahim Ahmed, said the operation was conducted in line with the Council’s statutory mandate under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act.

He explained that the exercise was aimed at enforcing the National Drug Distribution Guidelines developed by the Federal Government to address the country’s disorganised drug distribution system.

“The major goal of the NDDG is to ensure drug distribution through approved channels, from the point of manufacture or importation to the end user,” he said.

“The ongoing enforcement initiative is systematically disengaging non-professional actors from the pharmaceutical supply chain and remedying deficiencies in storage infrastructure. This intervention is fundamental to the eradication of substandard and falsified medicinal products.”

The enforcement team visited Jos South, Jos North, Mangu, Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Qua’an Pan and Bassa Local Government Areas during the operation.

Chiroma stated that a total of 778 premises were inspected, comprising 199 pharmacies, 499 patent medicine stores and 80 illegal outlets.

“Consequently, 572 premises were sealed, including 120 pharmacies, 372 patent medicine stores, and 80 illegal outlets. In addition, five compliance directives were issued,” he said.

Describing the outcome as alarming, Chiroma noted that 60 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were sealed due to violations.

“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 regulatory efforts in Plateau State,” he said.

He further revealed that infractions uncovered during the exercise included cooking within pharmaceutical premises, unauthorised clinical practice, unlawful storage and dispensing of medicines beyond approved legal limits, unauthorised access to poison cupboards by non-pharmacists, and illegal operation of premises.

Chiroma warned that such practices posed serious threats to public health and national security.

“Such practices pose grave risks to public health and national security, as controlled medicines may be diverted into the hands of criminal elements and insurgents,” he said.

Despite the widespread closures, the Council noted that the prevalence of illegal outlets was relatively low at about 10 per cent.

Chiroma lamented poor compliance among registered pharmacies, stating that only 40 per cent of inspected pharmacies were found to be in good standing.

He reaffirmed that the PCN remains committed to its statutory responsibility of safeguarding integrity within pharmaceutical practice, adding that all premises involved in handling medicines will continue to be subjected to strict regulatory oversight.

The Council also urged members of the public to patronise only licensed and approved medicine outlets.