The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has shut down 666 illegal medicine shops in Kaduna State for operating illegally and violating National Drug Distribution Guidelines.

The enforcement exercise, which began earlier in the week, targeted open drug markets and other locations across the state, where medicines were being sold without proper registration and supervision.

The move aims to ensure the safe and effective distribution of medicines, protect public health, and prevent the sale of harmful substances in the state.

Addressing a press conference after the end of the exercise in Kaduna on Thursday,  PCN Director of Enforcement,  Pharm. Stephen Esumobi said the affected premises included 47 pharmacies, 313 patent medicine shops, and 306 illegal medicine shops.

Esumobi noted that the PCN team visited 895 premises during the exercise, issuing 9 compliance directives to owners of shops found to be operating illegally.

He said, “At the end of the enforcement exercise which began early this week, a total of eight hundred and ninety-five (895) premises were visited. This is made up of seventy-five (75) pharmacies, five hundred and fourteen (514) Patent medicine shops, and three hundred and six (306) illegal premises.

“A total of six hundred and sixty-six (666) premises were sealed. The premises sealed include forty-seven (47) pharmacies, three hundred and thirteen (313) Patent medicine shops, and three hundred and six (306) illegal medicine shops

“The PC office in Kaduna will render all necessary assistance to owners of sealed shops who are willing to comply with regulations.”

Esumobi added that medicine shops were sealed for offences ranging from the sale of medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with the council, poor documentation, poor storage facilities, and stocking of ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist.

He said, “The PCN will not tolerate the sale of medicines in open drug markets and other unregistered locations.

“We will continue to enforce the National Drug Distribution Guidelines to protect public health and prevent the sale of harmful substances.”

He added the medicine shops in open drug markets and some other locations across the Kaduna state were not registered by the council and are operating illegally.

The development, he argued, posed a great danger to public health because storage conditions of medicines in such premises were at variance with manufacturers’ recommendations.

“The implication of this is that most of the medicines sold in these locations may no longer be fit for human consumption due to degradation of the active ingredients,” he said.

Esumobi warned that the PCN would not hesitate to take further action against erring medicine dealers, adding that the council would assist owners of sealed shops who were willing to comply with regulations.