Lagos pharmacists raise concern over drug regulation gaps, seek PCN Council

Lagos State branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, has raised concerns over gaps in pharmaceutical regulation in the state, warning that inadequate staffing of key regulatory offices and the prolonged absence of a fully constituted Governing Council for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, could undermine medicine safety and professional standards.

The society called on the Federal Government to urgently inaugurate the PCN Governing Council, arguing that the regulatory delay had affected critical responsibilities, including accreditation, professional discipline and oversight of pharmacy practice.

Chairman of the PSN in Lagos, Pharm Olaitan Ogunlade made the call while speaking at the opening of the 2026 Pharmacy Week in Lagos.

Ogunlade said the shortage of pharmacists within the Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services, DPS, of the Lagos State Ministry of Health was limiting the agency’s ability to effectively carry out drug inspections, quality control activities, enforcement against counterfeit medicines and other regulatory duties.

He urged the Lagos State Government to address the manpower shortage by recruiting more pharmacists and ensuring that qualified professionals occupy key regulatory positions.

The PSN chairman also stressed the need for the Federal Government to constitute the PCN Governing Council in accordance with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 2022.

According to him, the absence of a properly constituted council over the past three years had affected the accreditation of training institutions, disciplinary proceedings and other important aspects of pharmacy regulation.

Ogunlade urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to proceed with the inauguration, stressing that any future review of the pharmacy law should not disrupt the existing regulatory framework.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi also called for stronger regulation of medicines, warning that unrestricted access to controlled drugs could create serious public health and environmental risks.

He said restricted medicines should be subject to stringent controls and that regulation should extend across hospitals, community pharmacies, laboratories and veterinary services.

Abayomi explained that residues from antimicrobials, hormones, pesticides and other substances could enter the food chain through products such as milk, eggs, fish and meat, creating wider health and environmental concerns.

The commissioner further noted the important role played by community pharmacies, patent and proprietary medicine vendors and traditional medicine practitioners in the state’s healthcare system.

He said available indications suggested that more than half of Lagos residents could first seek treatment from these community-based providers before visiting conventional health facilities.

Rather than exclude these providers, Abayomi proposed integrating them into a stronger regulatory and referral framework.