By Ojoma Akor
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria ( PCN) has enjoined its inspectors to carry out their activities with diligence to ensure quality service delivery and also safe guard public health.
Registrar of PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed made the call Monday in Nasarawa state during the national pharmaceutical inspectors workshop organized by the organization.
The workshop was themed ” Inspecting for excellence : Best practices in pharmaceutical inspection as a key driver of public health safety in Nigeria.”
Pharm Ahmed said the PCN is steadily advancing towards a world-class regulatory system that is structured, consistent, and globally credible, adding that a cornerstone of this journey is the full implementation of a Quality Management System ( QMS).
He said QMS ensures that inspections were no longer dependent on individual preferences or interpretations, but that they are rooted in standard operating procedures, accurate documentation, and measurable results.
He also said through this system, PCN ensures that inspections in all states and zones were held to the same standard.
He said PCN and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) also achieved World Health Organization (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) Level 3 status after the recent re- benchmarking of the national regulatory authorities by the WHO.
He added that this implied that Nigeria has a well-functioning, stable and integrated regulatory system.
Pharm. Ahmed highlighted that it was a major milestone, and that maintaining the level would require even more dedication from everyone.
He said, ” As inspectors, you contribute to this status with every accurate report you submit, SOP you follow, standard you uphold, and every inspection you carry out with diligence. ”
The registrar applauded pharmaceutical Inspectors for their resilience and unwavering dedication , adding that however with the increasing burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases, the need for safe, quality-assured pharmaceutical products and services has never been more urgent than now.
He said ,” Let me remind us that every inspection you carry out, every record you review, every non-compliance you flag, all goes beyond regulation. It is a vital act of public health, and you are safeguarding lives.”
The PCN boss also said that the workshop was an opportunity to strengthen their capacity, renew their perspective, and reflect together on the realities they face, the standards they aspire to, as well as the opportunities that lay ahead.
He further enjoined them to use the , ” space to learn, but more importantly, to reconnect with the purpose behind our work and recommit to the responsibility we carry for the health and wellbeing of millions of Nigerians.”
He said, “Let this workshop be more than just another training. Let it rekindle us our sense of purpose. Let it remind us why your work matters. You are not just checking compliance, you are enforcing quality. You are strengthening the very systems that uphold our profession. You are helping to build a pharmaceutical landscape that we can all be proud of.”
He assured the pharmaceutical inspectors of his commitment to working alongside them in pursuit of quality and excellence.
” Together, we will continue to advance the standards of pharmaceutical regulation with purpose and integrity,” he added.
Declaring the workshop open, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate said the workshop provided a valuable opportunity for capacity building, knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry , Daju Kachollom, he said the deliberations and outcomes of the workshop would contribute significantly to strengthening the country’s health system and improving health outcomes.
He said, “We cannot achieve Universal Health Coverage ( UHC) if our pharmaceutical sector is undermined by poor-quality products and weak enforcement. Inspectors are the frontline guardians of our drug supply chain, and your work is indispensable in protecting lives.”
A former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria ( PSN) and key note speaker , Pharm. Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai said pharmacy is a global profession and that it is therefore important to look at all the best practices globally, especially in the developed countries.
He said, ” We cannot short change anything. We have to follow the same way, like Good Manufacturing Practice ( GMP), good distribution practice, good inspection practice, good storage practice. We must follow it to the latter.
“We want to be at maturity level four. We are at maturity level three. Now we have to do it well, as far as inspection is concerned, because inspection is a bedrock. It is the one that safeguards the whole pharmaceutical activities in the whole world. So if you are not going through the inspection processes, definitely you will not get it right. So when I mentioned about the best practices, I was trying to show that there is no harm in growing or transfer technology from developed countries.”
Chairman of the workshop, Dr Nelson Uwaga ,
said inspectors were not just regulators, but also the visible face of the council, custodians of public trust, and critical defenders of patient safety.
He said they play a vital role in helping PCN achieve its mandate; planning, coordinating, and executing inspections and investigations of pharmaceutical premises.
He said they also ensure strict compliance with regulations governing the licensing, registration, and lawful sale of medicines.
“At all times, you are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards, conduct yourselves with integrity, and protect the dignity of the pharmacy profession. This means adhering fully to established laws, regulations, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in every function you carry out,” he advised.
He stated that there were evolving realities of the pharmaceutical landscape, noting that the environment they operate in today is more intricate, increasingly commercialized, and, in some instances, openly resistant to regulation.
“These challenges cannot be ignored, and they must be met with clarity, consistency, and resolve,” he added.
