Kwara State Demands Tougher Surveillance Following PCN Closure of 724 Illegal Drug Outlets

The Kwara State Government has expressed deep concern regarding the scale of unregulated medicine distribution in its communities, calling for intensified monitoring after the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) sealed 724 pharmaceutical and patent medicine premises across the state. While praising the regulatory intervention, the state government described the vast network of illicit operations as an alarming threat to public safety and existing health surveillance structures.

The enforcement operation, carried out over a four-day period, spanned 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs), including Ilorin South, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Asa, Offa, Ifelodun, Oyun, Moro, Irepodun, and Edu.

In an official statement signed by the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Abdulraheem Malik, the state highlighted that the sheer volume of closures implies that hundreds of residents have unknowingly relied on unauthorized vendors for years:

• Absence of Technical Expertise: Dr. Malik pointed out that a significant portion of the closed facilities were run by individuals with zero formal pharmaceutical training. These operators lack basic understanding of medication dosages, correct drug storage conditions, patient counseling, or dangerous drug-to-drug interactions.
• The Proliferation of Breaches: Representing the PCN Registrar Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed, the Head of Enforcement, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, detailed the explicit violations that triggered the closures. Beyond operating completely without valid PCN licenses, inspectors uncovered poor storage practices, the training of unauthorized apprentices, and operators actively cooking meals inside patent medicine shops.
• National Security and Health Fallouts: The council warned that the loose management of controlled substances directly compromises national security by allowing restricted narcotics to leak into criminal networks. Furthermore, dispensing sensitive medications under sub-optimal conditions fuels regional treatment failures and accelerates antimicrobial resistance.

The PCN emphasized that achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is impossible without safeguarding the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Moving forward, the council has directed consumers to look for a valid, current PCN license prominently displayed within any establishment before purchasing medications.