The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 666 medicine stores for allegedly operating illegally and violating national drug distribution guidelines in Kaduna State.

The PCN director of enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, disclosed this on Thursday during a press conference after an enforcement exercise that began earlier in the week in the state.

The PCN director 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,” he said.

Mr Esumobi stated that the shops were shut down for allegedly selling medicines in the open drug market, operating without registration with the council, poor documentation, poor storage facilities, and stocking ethical products without a pharmacist’s supervision.

According to him, the activities of the now-sealed shops threaten public health due to the poor storage conditions of medicines in those premises.

He stated further that, “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.”

“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 assured.

Mr Esumobi also assured that the PCN will assist owners of the sealed shops who are willing to comply with regulations, but warned that action will be taken against erring medicine dealers.