₦airaland Forum

CanadaOrBust:
I think we need less corrupt pharmacists and NAFDAC enforcers

PSN Raises Alarm Over Illegal Drug Shops, Blames Some State Officials

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has sounded a fresh warning over what it describes as the growing abuse of Nigeria's drug regulatory laws, alleging that some government officials are enabling illegal pharmaceutical operations across the country.

Speaking on the issue, PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, accused certain state officials of allowing unauthorized individuals to register and operate pharmaceutical facilities in violation of existing laws, particularly the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022 and the Fake Drug Act.

According to Tanko, the situation is especially concerning in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, where he alleged that individuals without legal authority have assumed regulatory functions that belong exclusively to the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.

The PSN maintained that Section 2.2 of the Fake Drug Act clearly identifies the PCN as the statutory authority responsible for licensing pharmaceutical premises and regulating pharmacy practice in Nigeria.

The society also welcomed recent Federal High Court judgments in Ibadan and Calabar against illegal pharmaceutical operators, describing the rulings as significant victories in the fight against fake drugs, quackery, and unsafe medicine distribution.

Beyond illegal licensing, the pharmacists' body expressed concern over the growing trend of individuals claiming healthcare expertise through informal and unlawful training routes, including apprenticeships in private pharmacies and healthcare facilities without recognized professional accreditation.

According to the PSN, such practices not only violate pharmaceutical laws but also pose serious risks to public health by encouraging the circulation of medicines through unregulated channels.

Tanko further revealed that Nigeria's pharmaceutical sector faces a massive regulatory challenge, claiming that while the country may have more than three million pharmaceutical outlets, fewer than 50,000 are formally registered across manufacturing, importation, distribution, and retail operations.

The PSN also reminded healthcare institutions that every pharmaceutical facility, including hospital pharmacies, must be supervised by a qualified superintendent pharmacist as required by law.

Calling for stronger enforcement measures, the society urged the National Assembly to amend existing drug laws and introduce tougher penalties for offenders involved in illegal drug distribution and unauthorized pharmaceutical practice.

The latest warning comes at a time when Nigeria continues to battle the menace of fake, substandard, and improperly regulated medicines, a challenge experts say remains one of the biggest threats to patient safety and healthcare delivery in the country.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/06/13/pharmacists-accuse-govt-officials-of-aiding-abuse-of-drug-regulatory-laws/

Olofofo247ng:
No be dem dem?

Multichoice owns DSTV and GoTV...both are from South Africa. Now, MTN (also a South African company) is expanding to streaming platform/digital entertainment which is the next level.

I see no breaking of Monopoly here. Na still the same South Africa dey run am. Wetin dem no fit allow Nigerians do freely in their country because of envy and jealousy.

davillian:
They pay tax and the government is enjoying it

WantsandMore:
Does one tv has the license to broadcast the world cup? That's a platform to catch every age demography.

ManirBK:
I dey office today around 5:30pm. As I look window, I saw dark cloud don cover everywhere. I tell myself "Make I quickly pack my things comot."

I rush grab my motor, shap shap, then I begin move. As I dey road, I see strong wind dey come meet me. Me and the wind just dey run race. My Oga call me say, "Find place hide, this wind too strong."

I ignore am, I continue to move. Before I know, the wind catch me. My eye full of sand, the evening turn to night — even street light come on by themselves. If not for those street light, I for no fit reach house.
Thank God I arrived safely. Now I'm chilling with my family, and it's raining heavily outside.

L

One of the most common mistakes people make after receiving a laboratory report is assuming that any value marked as "high" or "low" automatically means they have a disease. The moment they see a result outside the reference range, panic sets in. Some begin searching Google. Others start imagining the worst possible diagnosis. A few even begin taking medications or herbal products without consulting a healthcare professional.

But here is a question worth thinking about:

If your laboratory result is abnormal, does that automatically mean you are sick?

Not necessarily and this answer may surprise many people.

One of the most important lessons taught in medicine, pharmacy, laboratory science, and other health professions is that laboratory tests are tools for decision making, not diagnoses in themselves. An abnormal result is simply a clue. It is one piece of information that must be interpreted alongside the patient's symptoms, medical history, medications, lifestyle, physical examination findings, and other investigations.

In fact, if we gathered one hundred apparently healthy people today and performed enough laboratory tests on all of them, some would still have values that fall outside the reference range despite being completely healthy. This happens because laboratory reference ranges are derived from statistical averages within populations and not always absolute definitions of health and disease.

Consider two different scenarios.

A healthy twenty five year old man who spends most of his week lifting weights undergoes a routine medical examination. His creatinine level comes slightly elevated. He becomes worried because he might have heard that creatinine is related to kidney function. He might check ChatGPT about elevated creatinine and be seeing kidney disease and dialysis. Yet his kidneys are functioning normal. His increased muscle mass partly explains the result.

Now consider another individual whose blood test results all appear to be within normal limits. However, he has been losing weight, urinating frequently, waking several times each night to drink water, and feeling persistently tired. His laboratory report may appear reassuring at first glance, but his symptoms tell a different story.

Which patient should concern us more?

Most experienced clinicians would focus more attention on the second patient.

This is exactly why healthcare professionals spend years learning not only how to read laboratory reports but also how to interpret them correctly. The real skill is not simply recognizing whether a number is high or low. The real skill lies in understanding what that number means for a particular individual sitting in front of you.

Think of a laboratory result as a witness in a courtroom.

A witness may provide important information, but no competent judge would deliver a final verdict based on the testimony of a single witness alone. Evidence must be examined from multiple angles before a conclusion is reached.

The same principle applies in healthcare.

Aside creatinine, the same can be said for liver enzymes, cholesterol levels, blood sugar measurements, white blood cell counts, and many other laboratory parameters. Without proper interpretation, numbers can be misleading.

This is one of the reasons healthcare professionals remain indispensable despite advances in technology, artificial intelligence, and automated laboratory systems. Machines can generate results. Software can flag abnormal values. Search engines can display thousands of possible diagnoses. However, none of these can fully replace the clinical judgment required to interpret results within the context of a real human being.

Good healthcare professionals do not simply ask, "What does this laboratory report say?"

They ask, "What is this laboratory report trying to tell me about this patient?"

There is a huge difference between those two questions. The first focuses on numbers while the second focuses on people.

Medicine has never been about treating numbers. It has always been about understanding human beings. Laboratory tests remain some of the most powerful tools available in modern healthcare, but their true value emerges only when they are interpreted correctly by trained professionals who can connect the science with the story behind the patient.

So the next time you receive a laboratory report with a value highlighted in red, resist the urge to jump to conclusions. An abnormal result does not automatically mean disease, just as a normal result does not automatically guarantee perfect health.

jaephoenix:
Sorry for the terms used. But I hope you get my point. Because its annoying as a doctor, you prescribe some meds, you go home expecting for the patient to commence meds,only to return and they tell you that the meds have not been dispensed by the pharmacist,who didn't bother to check up on your thoughts

obiekunie01:
Whatever happened to the scratch pin verification on all drugs.

This great solution from late Akunyili would av defeated fake drug manufacturing.

But Nigeria happened to the solution!

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched an upgraded digital platform known as the Med Safety App, designed to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against substandard, falsified, and dangerous medicines.

The new system allows both healthcare professionals and members of the public to directly report suspected fake drugs as well as adverse drug reactions in real time, using their mobile phones.

According to NAFDAC, the goal is to improve drug safety surveillance in Nigeria by making reporting faster, simpler, and more accessible. Instead of waiting for formal complaints through complex channels, users can now instantly submit reports that go directly to the agency for review and action.

Health experts say this move could significantly improve early detection of unsafe medicines circulating in the market, especially in a country where counterfeit drugs remain a serious public health challenge.

The agency is encouraging Nigerians to download the Med Safety App on Android and iOS devices and actively participate in protecting public health by reporting suspicious or harmful medical products.

Authorities believe that wider public involvement will help strengthen regulation, reduce drug-related risks, and ensure that only safe and quality-assured medicines are available in the country.

jaephoenix:
I know pharmacists do a lot but i have an advice for you guys: always run your advice by the doctor before changing his prescriptions. If a you don't understand a particular regimen,ask the doctor. Yes, you are good with pharmacology and drug-drug interactions but some regimens are there cos the doctor knows more about the pathology of the disease more than you.
For example, a doc prescribes normal saline for a hypertensive who has stroked. Don't go and do busy body and cancel the prescriptions. Learn from the doctor. Thank you

Before I entered the healthcare space properly, I genuinely thought pharmacists mainly counted tablets and arranged shelves.

My ignorance.

One day, I walked into a pharmacy unit . A prescription had just arrived. The pharmacist glanced at it for less than ten seconds and immediately asked:

“Who prescribed this dose?”

Silence.

Real silence.

The kind of silence that enters a room when everybody suddenly realizes something serious was missed. This was the moment changed my understanding of pharmacy forever.

Because many people do not realize this:
Pharmacists are one of the last safety checkpoints standing between patients and medication harm.

A prescription can look perfectly normal to the average person while containing:

1. Wrong dosage.
2. Dangerous drug interactions.
3. Kidney unsafe dosing.
4. Liver toxicity risks.
5. Allergy conflicts.
6. Duplicate therapy.
7. Incorrect frequency.
8. Potential overdose.

Pharmacists catch these things quietly every day without drama.

Many medication errors never become public incidents because somebody in the pharmacy unit noticed something small before it became something tragic.

The level of drug knowledge pharmacists carry is frightening. You casually mention one medication and suddenly they start discussing:
1. Mechanism of action.
2. Cytochrome metabolism.
3. Half life.
4. Renal clearance.
5. Contraindications.
6. Drug interactions.
7. Monitoring parameters.
8. Adverse reactions.

At that point you just nod respectfully and learn

One thing that humbled me badly was discovering how often pharmacists intervene behind the scenes. Doctors diagnose. Nurses monitor and administer care.
Laboratory scientists investigate disease processes. But pharmacists constantly analyze whether the medications themselves are safe, effective, compatible, available, affordable, and correctly used.

Healthcare would collapse into medication chaos without them. What is even more impressive is that this work happens under intense pressure daily:

1. Hundreds of prescriptions.
2. Drug shortages.
3. Patient counselling.
4. Clinical rounds (not all hospitals)
5. Medication reconciliation.
6. Insurance issues.
7. Emergency medications.
8. Confused patients.
9. Terrible handwriting that sometimes looks like ancient symbols

Yet pharmacists remain calm. Very calm. Some can even identify medicines from shape, imprint, colour, or packaging alone. You bring one tiny white tablet from your pocket and hear: “That is likely amlodipine 5mg.”

At that point, you stop asking questions

One major problem is that pharmacy work especially in hospital is often invisible to the public because the best medication errors are the ones patients never even know almost happened. People see the medicine. They rarely see the disaster that was prevented before the medicine reached them.

Pharmacy is not just about drugs.

It is about safety, Precision, Systems thinking, Clinical judgment ans Patient protection.

The calmest people in the hospital are sometimes the ones preventing the loudest disasters from ever happening.

Illegal Pharmacy Owner Jailed 8 Years In Calabar After Defying Regulatory Authorities

A Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced a woman, Ezea Isidora Kamchukwube, to eight years imprisonment for illegally operating pharmacies and allowing unqualified persons to dispense medicines in Cross River State.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu delivered the judgment on Monday after finding the defendant guilty of running pharmaceutical businesses without registration as required under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022.

According to court records, the convict operated "24 Hours Pharmaceuticals" on Marian Road and another pharmacy along Etta Agbor Road in Calabar without the necessary approval from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.

The court also heard that officials of the PCN had earlier sealed the premises during an enforcement exercise. However, the defendant allegedly broke the seals and resumed operations despite regulatory directives.

Justice Ojukwu ruled that the actions violated multiple provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act, including practicing pharmacy without registration and operating pharmaceutical premises illegally.

Speaking after the judgment, Aliyu Okayode, Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, said the conviction sends a strong message to individuals operating pharmaceutical businesses outside the law.

He stated that the prosecution successfully proved before the court that the defendant was neither registered nor licensed to practice pharmacy.

The case highlights the ongoing crackdown by regulatory authorities on illegal drug outlets across Nigeria, amid growing concerns about fake medicines, drug abuse, and the activities of unqualified medicine vendors.

Many public health experts have repeatedly warned that medicines dispensed by unqualified persons can lead to treatment failure, drug resistance, severe adverse reactions, and even death.

In Nigeria, a large belly especially in men is often seen as a sign that someone is doing well in life.

People call it:
"Big man package."
"Soft life."
"Enjoyment body."
"Evidence of good living."

Some even see it as proof of wealth and success.

But what if that same pot belly is quietly telling a completely different story?

What many people do not realize is that the most dangerous body fat is not necessarily the fat you can see under the skin. Doctors are often more concerned about the fat you cannot see, known as visceral fat.

This type of fat accumulates deep inside the abdomen and surrounds important organs such as the liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys. Unlike ordinary body fat, visceral fat is biologically active and can interfere with the body's normal functions.

Medical research has consistently linked excessive abdominal fat to serious health conditions including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, and even certain cancers.

This is one reason healthcare professionals pay close attention to your waist circumference during routine assessments.

A person may appear healthy, energetic, and successful on the outside while harmful changes are already taking place internally. Conditions such as insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and fatty liver disease can develop silently for years without obvious symptoms.

Fatty liver disease, in particular, is becoming increasingly common due to modern lifestyles characterized by excessive calorie intake, sugary drinks, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, poor sleep habits, chronic stress, and frequent consumption of highly processed foods.

The frightening part is that many people with fatty liver disease feel completely normal until complications begin to appear years later.

This is why a pot belly should not automatically be celebrated as a symbol of wealth, enjoyment, or success.

Sometimes, it may actually be one of the earliest warning signs that the body's metabolic health is under strain.

Good health is not about being extremely slim or chasing unrealistic body standards. It is about maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating balanced meals, sleeping adequately, monitoring your health regularly, and taking preventive care seriously.

A wealthy looking stomach means very little if the organs behind it are struggling in silence.

The body often whispers before it screams. The question is whether we are listening.

Today, May 31, marks World No Tobacco Day 2026, and this year's theme is both timely and alarming:

"Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction."

For many Nigerians, tobacco control still brings to mind the image of an elderly man smoking cigarettes at a motor park or a pack of tobacco hidden in a shirt pocket.

The reality in 2026 is very different.

The tobacco and nicotine industry has evolved.

Addiction is no longer being marketed only through traditional cigarettes. It is increasingly being packaged through colourful vaping devices, attractive flavours, sleek designs, social media content, nicotine pouches, and products specifically designed to appeal to young people.

Many teenagers who would never touch a cigarette are now being introduced to nicotine through products that look harmless, modern, and fashionable.

This is exactly what the World Health Organization wants the world to pay attention to this year.

The goal of the campaign is to expose the tactics used to attract children, adolescents, and young adults into nicotine addiction while strengthening tobacco control efforts and encouraging those already addicted to seek help.

In Nigeria, where youth unemployment, peer pressure, social media influence, and mental health challenges continue to affect many young people, the danger is particularly significant.

Many users begin out of curiosity.

Some start because their friends are doing it.

Others believe vaping is completely safe.

Unfortunately, nicotine addiction often begins long before people realise they are becoming dependent.

Health experts continue to warn that tobacco and nicotine use increase the risk of serious illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, several forms of cancer, and other life threatening conditions.

This is where pharmacists have an important role to play.

Community pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare professionals in Nigeria. For many people, the pharmacy is the first place they seek health advice before visiting a hospital.

Pharmacists help by educating the public on the dangers of tobacco and nicotine use, providing cessation counselling, supporting individuals trying to quit, recommending appropriate nicotine replacement therapies where available, and identifying people who may already be developing tobacco related health complications.

They also play a crucial role in protecting young people by correcting misinformation about vaping, e-cigarettes, and other emerging nicotine products.

Beyond individual patient care, pharmacists contribute to public health campaigns, school awareness programs, community outreaches, and advocacy efforts aimed at creating healthier and smoke free environments.

The message of World No Tobacco Day 2026 is simple:

The tobacco industry has changed its packaging, changed its marketing, and changed its products.

Nicotine addiction, however, remains the same.

Parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and young people themselves must work together to see beyond the attractive colours, flavours, and advertising.

Because sometimes the most dangerous addictions do not arrive looking dangerous.

They arrive looking attractive.

Happy World No Tobacco Day 2026.

Former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharmacist Olumide Akintayo, has called on the Federal Government to stop relying on temporary policies and urgently build a serious industrial system that can make medicines cheaper and strengthen local drug manufacturing in Nigeria.

Akintayo made this statement during the commissioning of the newly completed Asiwaju Adebowale Omotosho Pharmacy House, a five storey building owned by the Oyo State chapter of the PSN.

According to him, Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported medicines from countries like India and China is not accidental. He explained that those countries intentionally built strong industrial policies that supported pharmaceutical manufacturing for years, while Nigeria failed to do the same.

He pointed out that local pharmaceutical manufacturers are struggling under unbearable conditions including unstable electricity, poor infrastructure, high production costs, expensive loans and weak government support.

In his words, no country can expect competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing while factories are being powered mainly by diesel generators.

Akintayo also criticised government procurement systems for failing to prioritise locally manufactured medicines in public hospitals and healthcare institutions. According to him, there is no point encouraging companies to produce locally when the same government refuses to create a reliable market for those products.

Another major issue raised was financing.

The former PSN president lamented that pharmaceutical manufacturers are borrowing money at interest rates as high as 25 to 30 percent, describing it as completely unsustainable for any serious manufacturing business.

He called on the Federal Government to empower institutions like the Bank of Industry to provide long term single digit loans for pharmaceutical companies and also invest in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient production plants so Nigeria can reduce dependence on imported raw materials.

Also speaking at the event, pharmaceutical industrialist Asiwaju Adebowale Omotosho said many Nigerians underestimate how difficult manufacturing has become in the country. According to him, imported drugs from countries like China and Germany often enter the market cheaper and already have stronger market acceptance, making it difficult for local manufacturers to compete.

He added that many people now prefer trading instead of manufacturing because manufacturing takes time, patience and huge financial commitment before profits eventually come.

Chairman of the Oyo State PSN, Pharmacist Victor Ajanaku, also revealed that many pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers have either scaled down operations or completely exited the industry due to the harsh business environment, poor implementation of government incentives and difficulties accessing foreign exchange.

Perhaps the most striking part of the discussion is that this issue goes far beyond pharmacists alone.

Nigeria imports a huge percentage of its medicines despite having one of the largest populations in Africa. This dependence means every foreign exchange crisis, inflation spike or import disruption immediately affects drug prices nationwide, leaving ordinary Nigerians to suffer the consequences through expensive medications and reduced access to treatment.

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, who officially declared the building open, also called for stronger collaboration between orthodox healthcare practitioners and traditional medicine experts, stating that indigenous medical knowledge should not be completely ignored.

As drug prices continue to rise across the country, many Nigerians are now asking a difficult question:

If India and China built strong pharmaceutical industries through deliberate government support, what exactly is stopping Nigeria from doing the same?

Ebola Alert: PSN Orders All Pharmacies To Activate Emergency Surveillance Nationwide

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has placed pharmacists and community pharmacies across the country on high alert following fresh Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of Central and East Africa.

In an emergency nationwide advisory issued on Saturday, PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, directed pharmacists in all 36 states and the FCT to immediately strengthen surveillance, infection prevention measures and emergency response protocols to prevent a possible Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.

Although the Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed that Nigeria has not recorded any Ebola case, the PSN warned that pharmacies are often the first place sick people visit before going to hospitals, making pharmacists critical frontline defenders against a possible outbreak.

According to the advisory, pharmacists must now carefully monitor patients showing symptoms such as sudden high fever, weakness, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes or unexplained bleeding.

The society also instructed pharmacies to begin screening patients for recent travel history to affected African regions or possible contact with travellers within the last 21 days.

To tighten safety nationwide, PSN ordered pharmacies to immediately restore strict infection prevention measures including:

• Hand washing stations and alcohol sanitizers at entrances
• Use of gloves and face masks for frontline staff
• Regular disinfection of counters, doors and payment terminals
• Suspension of non essential blood prick tests for patients with unexplained fever

The PSN also warned pharmacists against dangerous self medication and indiscriminate dispensing of malaria drugs or antibiotics for persistent fever cases.

The society strongly cautioned Nigerians against fake Ebola remedies, herbal mixtures and misleading claims circulating online, stressing that early medical care at approved health facilities remains the safest response.

Under the new emergency protocol, any suspected Ebola patient seen in a pharmacy must be isolated immediately while health authorities and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are contacted without delay.

“Do not advise suspected patients to use public transport,” the PSN warned.

Nigeria successfully contained a deadly Ebola outbreak in 2014 after swift action by health workers prevented what could have become a national catastrophe. Many experts now believe early vigilance will again determine whether the country stays protected.

People often say Nigeria’s healthcare system is broken. That sounds true at first glance, especially when you look at long queues, delayed care, or overwhelmed hospitals.

But after looking closer at how care actually moves from one facility to another, a different picture appears.

The system is not mainly broken. It is disconnected.

Across the country, there are thousands of hospitals and clinics. Many of them are doing their best under pressure, with limited resources and difficult working conditions. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and community health workers show up every day and still try to deliver care that saves lives.

The problem is not effort. The problem is connection.

Each hospital often operates like a separate world.

A patient is seen in a primary health centre, referred to a general hospital, and then sent to a specialist facility. In theory, care is continuous. In reality, information is not.

Most of the time, what travels with the patient is a referral letter. Sometimes handwritten. Sometimes incomplete. Sometimes forgotten at home.

When that happens, the next doctor starts all over again.

Same questions. Same tests. Same delays. Same costs.

The patient pays for repetition, not because it is necessary, but because the system cannot “remember” what already happened somewhere else.

This is not a rare situation. It is daily routine across the country.

Now consider what that means in a system where most healthcare spending comes directly from people’s pockets. Every repeated test is not just inefficiency. It is another financial burden on families who are already stretched.

Even more serious is what gets lost in the gaps. Allergy history. Previous diagnoses. Medication lists. Test results done just days earlier. Small missing details that can change outcomes.

Globally, health systems are beginning to understand this clearly. The WHO has highlighted that a large portion of patient harm is preventable, often linked to communication failures and missing clinical information. In simple terms, when doctors do not have full information, patients are at higher risk.

Other countries have responded by treating health information like infrastructure, not paperwork.

Rwanda built a national system that connects facilities so patient data can move across locations. Kenya has scaled digital health systems across thousands of facilities. India is building a national digital health identity so patient records follow individuals wherever they go.

None of these systems are perfect. But they share one important decision. Patient information must move with the patient.

Nigeria has started making progress in this direction.

The Nigeria Data Protection Act has created a legal foundation for handling health data more responsibly. Some states are digitising parts of their health systems. National discussions around digital health infrastructure are also growing.

However, most facilities are still not connected in a meaningful way.

Three things need to change for real progress.

First, digital systems in hospitals must be able to communicate with each other by default. A hospital should not just digitise its own records. It should be able to share them securely with any other hospital when needed.

Second, referral systems need to move beyond paper. A referral should not depend on whether a patient remembers to carry a letter. It should be a complete transfer of clinical information.

Third, data protection and data sharing must be designed together. Protecting patient information without enabling safe sharing only creates isolation. Enabling sharing without protection creates risk. Both must work together.

The technology needed for this already exists. The standards are already used in other countries. The challenge is no longer technical. It is implementation.

Nigeria already has the hospitals. It already has the professionals. It already has the patients.

What is missing is the network that allows all of them to work as one system instead of isolated parts.

A healthcare system does not fail only because it lacks resources.

It fails when the parts cannot speak to each other.

The real question is not whether Nigeria can build a connected healthcare system.

The real question is how many lives will be affected before it does.

A Federal High Court in Calabar has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed against the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in a case tied to the sealing of two alleged illegal drug stores during a regulatory operation in Cross River State.

The suit, filed by Ezea Asidora and others under FHC/CA/FHR/39/2025, challenged the enforcement action carried out on March 10 and March 18, 2025, arguing that the closure of their shops amounted to a violation of their constitutional rights.

But the court ruled otherwise.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that the applicants failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that their fundamental rights were breached. The court stated that regulatory agencies acted within their mandate after suspecting that the operators were not properly registered or licensed under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act.

According to the court, the burden of proof rested on the applicants, and on the materials presented, the claims could not stand.

“The applicants have failed to establish the violation of their rights, and the suit is dismissed,” the judge ruled.

The court further emphasized the importance of regulatory enforcement in protecting public health, especially in the pharmaceutical sector where unlicensed operations can pose serious risks.

The matter is however not fully concluded, as the court adjourned a related criminal case, FRN v. Ezea Asidora (FHC/CA/76C/2025), to June 1 and ordered that the defendant be produced for continuation of proceedings.

The ruling highlights Nigeria’s ongoing clampdown on illegal drug distribution and the legal backing now being reinforced around pharmaceutical regulation and enforcement actions.

I still remember the silence in the room that day.

My neighbor was 21, healthy looking, he is always laughing. The kind of person nobody would ever suspect of having hypertension.

We all believed the same thing most young people believe. High blood pressure is for older people in their 50s or 60s, not for someone dealing with school, plans, stress, and everyday survival in Nigeria.

Then he checked his blood pressure. The reading was very high 158/90.

There were no dramatic symptoms. Just small things he had been ignoring for a while such as headaches once in a while, fatigue, poor sleep and occasional dizziness he always brushed off as stress.

Nothing felt serious until it suddenly was. It js that moment that changed my understanding of hypertension.

Most times, it does not come with loud warning signs. It works quietly in the background, damaging the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes over time. Many people only find out when the situation has already become serious.

Across Nigeria and many African countries, more young people are being diagnosed with high blood pressure. The causes are not far-fetched. Stress, poor sleep, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, alcohol, smoking, kidney injuries and delayed medical checkups are becoming normal lifestyle patterns.

A lot of people only discover their condition by accident during school screenings, medical checkup at work, pregnancy tests, blood donation, or emergency situations.

Another worrying habit is stopping medication once symptoms reduce. Hypertension does not go away because you feel fine. It can still be damaging your organs silently.

This is why “together” matters.

Controlling hypertension is not only about the individual. Families influence eating habits. Friends influence lifestyle choices. Healthcare workers provide education and support. Governments affect access to care. Individuals are responsible for consistency and discipline.

All of these matter.

Simple habits make a big difference. Reducing salt intake helps. Regular exercise helps. Better sleep helps. Managing stress helps. Routine checkups help.

Most importantly, being young does not protect anyone.

My friend was 21, looked completely fine, and still had a dangerously high reading that day. Hypertension does not wait for age.

Check your blood pressure. Encourage someone close to you to do the same. Sometimes prevention starts with a simple conversation.

It's World Hypertension Day.

mayorall:
2024 csr for your reference

https://www.nairaland.com/8293294/1m-naira-corporate-social-responsibilities

As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Mayorall will be giving out 4 pieces of 8th Gen Touchscreen x360 laptops to 4 eligible Nairalanders.

Eligibility Criteria

You must have been a member of Nairaland for at least 3 years.

You must have a history of contributing positively to help fellow Nairalanders.

Your posting history must be free from tribalism, hate speech, or constant insults. Sarcasm alone is not a ground for disqualification.


How to Apply

Tell us:

What you plan to use the laptop for

How it will help you personally, academically, professionally, or in business.


Qualified applicants will be contacted if selected.

Mayorall remains committed to giving back and supporting growth within the community.

Kindly note that a video verification will be conducted for beneficiaries .

All beneficiary will be selected in the next 7 days.