NGThe Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) conducted an enforcement operation in Cross River State, resulting in the closure of 505 illegal and non-compliant medicine outlets. During a four-day inspection covering 10 local government areas, 602 premises were checked, with 48.3% found to be operating outside regulatory requirements. The operation led to the sealing of 291 illegal medicine outlets, 54 pharmacies, and 160 patent medicine stores due to various violations such as operating without licenses, poor storage practices, unauthorized access to controlled medicines, and improper training of apprentices. Only 42.5% of registered pharmacies and 26.8% of patent medicine vendors were fully compliant with regulations. The PCN emphasized the importance of purchasing medications only from licensed outlets to ensure safety and efficacy, linking the enforcement to the Federal Government’s Universal Health Coverage initiative.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual report on the PCN's enforcement action against illegal medicine outlets without overtly favoring any political ideology. It provides balanced information about the scope of the operation, the number of outlets closed, and the reasons for non-compliance, without taking谮
