The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 505 illegal and non-compliant medicine outlets across Cross River State after an enforcement operation uncovered widespread violations in the state's drug retail sector.
The four-day exercise, carried out in 10 local government areas, involved the inspection of 602 medicine outlets.
According to the council, nearly half of the premises inspected were operating outside regulatory standards.
Speaking in Calabar on behalf of the Registrar of the PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, Dr. Suleiman S. Chiroma said the operation resulted in the closure of 291 illegal medicine outlets, 54 pharmacies and 160 patent medicine stores over various regulatory breaches.
He added that 13 compliance directives were also issued to operators to enable them correct identified violations.
Chiroma said the exercise showed that only 42.5 per cent of registered pharmacies inspected fully complied with regulatory requirements, while just 26.8 per cent of patent medicine vendors met the required standards.
He said inspectors found several violations, including operating without valid licences, poor drug storage practices, unauthorised access to controlled medicines and the training of apprentices without proper supervision.
The PCN official also referred to the recent conviction of Mrs. Ezea Asidora Kamchekwube, who was found guilty of operating two unlicensed medicine shops in Calabar.
He noted that the Federal High Court sentenced her to eight years in prison, showing that operators of illegal medicine outlets now face legal consequences.
Chiroma warned residents to buy medicines only from outlets displaying valid PCN licences, noting that drugs handled by unqualified persons could lead to treatment failure, antimicrobial resistance and other avoidable health problems.
He said the enforcement exercise forms part of the Federal Government's effort to improve access to safe and quality medicines under the Universal Health Coverage programme.
Chiroma also thanked Cross River residents for cooperating with the enforcement teams and said monitoring would continue across the state.
He warned that the council would sustain its crackdown on illegal medicine businesses and impose sanctions on any outlet found violating regulatory standards.
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