President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Olumide Akin-tayo has said that more than one million patent stores are operating illegally across the country.

Akintayo, while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, said 5000 pharmaceutical stores are legally registered to operate and sell drugs in the country.

The head of the group, who observed that in parts of the world social concept of health insurance scheme succeeded because it is privately driven, lamented that in Nigeria, the scheme is public sector driven.

He expressed hope that the newly inaugurated board of the scheme by pharmacists will address the fundamental challenges facing it.

He called on all tiers of govern-ment to pay more attention to the issue of fake drugs.