Pharmacy Council Seals 618 Illegal Drug Shops In Rivers, Bayelsa 

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 618 illegal drugs shops during a week-long enforcement exercise in Rivers and Bayelsa States.

The Council stated that while 536 of illegal drug dispensing shops were sealed in Rivers State, 82 were shut in Bayelsa State.

PCN stated that during the exercise, a total number of 618 premises were sealed in both states comprising 178 pharmacies, 123 patent medicine shops and 317 illegal shops for various offences, while 9 premises were issued compliance directives.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday, PCN Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Pharmacist Ibrahim Ahmed, also stated that five persons were arrested in Rivers State for

breaking the Council’s seal.

Ahmed revealed that the enforcement exercise was targeted at pharmaceutical core areas of practice, premises and personnel to ensure adherence to minimum standards for quality assurance as enshrined in the PCN Establishment Act 2022 and relevant regulations and guidelines.

The Registrar, who was represented by Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, stated that pertinent areas of the standards enforced included ethics of the profession, maintenance of well-regulated environment to preserve quality and potency of medicines and expertise levels of personnel engaged in the practice, respectively.

“The PCN in her effort to achieve her mandate, and to rid the nation of substandard and falsified medicines has been carrying out an Enforcement Exercise concurrently in Rivers and Bayelsa States since the beginning of the week.

“The pharmaceutical landscape in Nigeria has been bedevilled with chaotic drug distribution, unlicensed/illegal premises, handling of medicines by unauthorised persons among others, and these necessitated this action.

“Medicines are poisons and must be regulated, and hence the need for every person involved in handling medicine to be appropriately trained, while all premises are dispensing, selling, storing, stocking, retailing, wholesaling, manufacturing, importation, exportation of medicines must be inspected, approved, licensed and monitored to ensure public safety,” he said.

During the course of the week-long rigorous enforcement exercise in Rivers State, Chiroma said the enforcement team visited Port-Harcourt, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre and Etche local government areas while it visited Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw Bayelsa State.

“A total number of 867 premises were visited in both Rivers and Bayelsa States comprising of 344 pharmacies and 523 patent medicine stores. We arrested 5 persons for breaking the PCN seal.

“A total number of 618 premises were sealed in both states which comprised of 178 pharmacies and 123 patent medicine shops and 317 illegal shops for various offences while 9 premises were issued compliance directives,” he said.