531 pharmacies in the Federal Capital Territory have been closed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria due to a variety of infractions, such as operating without a license, having inadequate records, and stocking moral goods without a pharmacist’s oversight.
Stephen Esumobi, the Director of Enforcement, revealed this to media on Friday in Abuja.
The PCN is the Federal Government Parastatal charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the education, training and practice of pharmacy in all its aspects and ramifications in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022.
“During a week-long enforcement exercise in the Federal Capital Territory, the council’s National Enforcement team visited 908 premises, including pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and illegal medicine outlets,” Esumobi stated. The team sealed 531 premises, including 90 pharmacies, 144 patent medicine shops, and 297 illegal medicine shops.”
Esumobi noted that the council is working towards the use of technology to make drugs easily accessible to patients.
“PCN is developing software for people to source their drugs anywhere they are,” he said.
Esumobi also highlighted the importance of Artificial Intelligence in medical practices, noting that it cannot replace human activities, especially when verbal communication is required.
He encouraged the public to report any suspected illegal drugstores or practitioners in their communities through the PCN website.
To oversee and manage the practice of pharmacy in Nigeria, the PCN has set up state and zonal offices, Pharmaceutical Inspection Committees, and Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors Licence Committees.
In order to make sure that the owners of patent medicine shops in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) follow the law, the council has also arranged orientation and ongoing education programs for them.
The closure of the pharmacies is intended to guarantee that, throughout Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system, safe, effective, and high-quality medications are dispensed in a reasonable manner.
