Assessment of drug storage temperature compliance in veterinary clinics within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical products are critically dependent on maintaining appropriate storage temperatures throughout the supply chain, from manufacturer to end-user. In veterinary medicine, this includes storage within clinics and during ambulatory services. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria experiences high ambient temperatures, posing a significant risk to drug stability. This study aimed to investigate drug storage temperatures in veterinary clinics that also dispense and retail veterinary pharmaceuticals within the FCT and to assess their compliance with manufacturers' recommended storage conditions. A cross-sectional study was conducted across 23 veterinary clinics in four Area Councils of the FCT (AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje). A structured questionnaire was used to gather data on storage infrastructure, including refrigerator use, alternative power supply, and temperature monitoring devices. The temperature of drug storage areas was recorded over two weeks (March 1st-15th, 2025) using an HTC-2 thermometer (Guangdong, China). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. While all 23 (100%) clinics possessed a refrigerator, only 60% had an alternative power supply. Critically, 60.9% (n = 14) of clinics lacked any form of temperature monitoring device in their storage areas. The mean ambient storage temperatures in all clinics exceeded the recommended maximum of 30 °C for pharmaceuticals stored in cabinets, with some clinics recording temperatures above 36 °C. During ambulatory services, 87% of Clinicians used drug storage boxes, but 30% parked their vehicles in areas without shade, potentially exposing drugs to high temperatures during transport. This study reveals a significant gap in compliance with manufacturer drug storage temperature recommendations among veterinary clinics in the FCT. The lack of temperature monitoring and exposure to excessive ambient temperatures may compromise drug quality and pose a risk to patient safety and treatment efficacy.