The Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Rivers State Chapter, Lawson Onengiyeofori, has identified illegal pharmacies and unregistered drug outlets as major drivers of the rising abuse of prescription medicines in the state, calling for stricter enforcement to safeguard public health.
Speaking in an interview with Today FM’s Odinakachi Celestine, Onengiyeofori said the indiscriminate sale of controlled medicines is largely due to the proliferation of illegal pharmacies, chemist shops and other unregistered drug outlets operating outside the supervision of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. He stressed that only licensed pharmacists are authorised to properly store, dispense and manage medicines, noting that prescription-only drugs should only be dispensed upon presentation of a valid prescription.
He disclosed that an enforcement exercise conducted by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria last year led to the closure of more than 70 illegal pharmacies and over 400 illegal drug and chemist shops across Rivers State. However, he expressed concern that weak follow-up enforcement allowed many of the affected outlets to resume operations. He called for the full activation of the Rivers State Task Force on Illegal and Counterfeit Medicines, warning that although the state has over 2,000 pharmacies, about half are operating illegally. He also urged residents to purchase medicines only from registered pharmacies, ensure a licensed pharmacist is on duty, and verify that the pharmacist’s practising licence is displayed.
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