…tasks inspectors on ethics, enforcement
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has warned that illegal drug markets and unregulated online sales are fuelling prescription drug abuse and endangering public health.
It vowed to intensify enforcement against Open Drug Markets (ODMs) and clamp down on the growing sale of medicines via social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
PCN’s alarm came on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a five-day National Pharmaceutical Inspectors’ Workshop themed: “Inspecting for Excellence: Best Practices in Pharmaceutical Inspection as a Key Driver of Public Health Safety in Nigeria.”
Chairman of the workshop, Dr. Uzo Uwaga, described ODMs as “hubs for unregulated sales and prescription drug abuse” and called for urgent closure of such markets.
He said Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) were being developed as safer alternatives to curb the dangers posed by uncontrolled medicine distribution.
Uwaga told inspectors they are “the first line of defence” in enforcing pharmaceutical regulations and must uphold the highest ethical standards.
“This conduct earns public trust, elevates the Council’s reputation, and protects you in the line of duty,” he said, warning that commercialisation pressures, resistance to regulation, and illegal medicine trade were growing challenges.
He urged stronger collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigeria Customs Service, and state health ministries to share intelligence and boost enforcement.
PCN Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed, reminded inspectors that their work was critical to saving lives.
“With the rising burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases, the need for safe, quality-assured medicines has never been greater,” he said.
Ahmed described every inspection, record review, and compliance check as “a vital act of public health” and urged inspectors not to compromise in the discharge of their duties.
He highlighted the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022, as a milestone in strengthening pharmacy regulation, adding: “This workshop is a chance to renew your perspective and recommit to the responsibility we carry for the health and wellbeing of millions of Nigerians.”