Federal Government to shut down all open drug markets

In a move to ensure the organised drug distribution system in the country is strengthened, the federal government will on July 1 commence the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs).

Regulatory agencies like the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC will on that date resume the exercise of their mandate to ensure full compliance.


Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, stated these Friday in Abuja.

He said: “We are hopeful that the existence of open drug markets in the country will be a thing of the past as the drug distribution system of the country has remained uncoordinated, chaotic and has resulted in the circulation of fake, adulterated, substandard and counterfeit drugs."

According to Awute, the chaotic drug distribution poses a very big challenge to the pharmaceutical sector in particular and the federal government in general considering the negative impact the situation has on the entire health care delivery system of the country.

Credit: Paul Obi/ThisDay