The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised fresh concerns about the existence of nearly five million unregistered drug-selling outfits across the country, warning that the unchecked proliferation of these vendors poses a severe threat to public health.
Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, the national chairman of ACPN, issued the warning in a press statement ahead of the association’s 44th Annual International Conference, scheduled to hold in Awka, Anambra State, from July 22 to 27. Themed “Technology Integration, Personalised Care: The Future of Community Pharmacy Practice,” the event will bring together over 3,000 delegates from across Nigeria and abroad to explore the future of pharmacy in an increasingly digital healthcare ecosystem.
According to Igwekamma, Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous resurgence in the circulation of fake and substandard medicines, driven in part by the operations of unregulated drug sellers in both urban centres and remote villages. These outfits, he said, operate largely outside the oversight of regulatory agencies and remain a major conduit for counterfeit drugs and unwholesome products.