PCN Seals 724 Pharmacies in Kwara for Regulatory Breaches

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) conducted an enforcement exercise in Kwara State, sealing 724 pharmacies and medicine stores due to regulatory breaches. The operation, which took place over four days, involved inspections across 10 local government areas, including Ilorin South, Ilorin East, and Ilorin West.

A total of 1,238 premises were inspected, comprising 167 pharmacies and 957 patent medicine stores. Of these, 724 premises were sealed, including 68 pharmacies and 542 patent medicine stores, as well as 114 illegal outlets.

The inspections revealed that 9% of the premises operated illegally, with 15.7% of facilities sealed due to regulatory breaches. Among licensed operators, 59.2% of pharmacies complied with regulatory standards, compared to only 43% of patent medicine vendors.

The council emphasized the importance of compliance to ensure public health and safety, warning against the dangers posed by unlicensed operations and improper storage conditions.