Assessment of the Quality of Pharmaceutical Labels on Dispensed Drugs at Government Hospitals in Taraba State, North East Nigeria

Background: Pharmaceutical labelling is a legally mandated and clinically essential component of dispensing that directly impacts medication safety and patient adherence. Poor labelling is a known contributor to medication errors, especially in low-literacy populations. This study assessed the quality of pharmaceutical labels on dispensed drugs at government hospitals in Taraba State. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study examined 400 drug packages dispensed at four government hospital pharmacies in Jalingo and Wukari. Labels were assessed against minimum standard labelling requirements set by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, including patient name, drug name, dose, frequency, route, duration, and storage conditions. Results: Complete labelling, meeting all eight criteria, was achieved in only 23 percent of dispensed packages. Drug name and dosage frequency were most commonly included (88% and 82% respectively). Storage conditions were specified in fewer than 20 percent of labels. Patient names were absent from 31 percent of dispensed packages. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical labelling quality in Taraba government hospitals is critically substandard. Pharmacist training, standardisation of label templates, and electronic dispensing systems should be urgently prioritised. Keywords: pharmaceutical labelling, dispensing, medication safety, Taraba State, hospital pharmacy