…PCN orders pharmaceuticals drugs wholesalers out of S/Gari Market
Prof. Cyril Odianose Usifoh, President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has said that collaboration of stakeholders is key to improving and repositioning the pharmaceutical sector in the country.
The PSN president said this during the two days annual colloquium of the association with the theme “Repositioning Pharmacy In An Unstable Economy” which was held at Amber Residence, Ikeja area of Lagos State.
Usifoh noted that the colloquium couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the country is grappling with its financial difficulty with its attendant impact on every sector of the economy including the pharmaceuticals.
He stressed that the colloquium has provided a veritable platform for the pharmacists across the country to examine the issues involved and therefore draw a roadmap toward achieving excellence in pharmaceutical service delivery in Nigeria.
He harped on the importance of all arms of the profession, hospitals, communities, regulatory, academic, and industries, working together, hand in hand to provide what society desperately needs at this critical period of recession; looking at the importance of manufacturing for the health of the global economy and well-being of society.
Challenging the academia pharmacist to produce quality students in pharmacy as they remain the future of the profession, Usifoh assured that the association would work with the universities to improve their capacity building and introduce mentoring programme for young pharmacists.
He also used the opportunity to announce that PSN would be hundred years in 2027 stressing that the centennial anniversary committee would be constituted in the next few months.
The Chairman of the event, Prince Julius Adeluyi, said that the colloquium must be used to expand the frontiers of meaningful synergy within the pharmaceutical society, its various technical groups and also creating resourceful and strategic alliance with government, policy makers as well as international organisations, entrepreneurs and global investors towards the renaissance of the pharmaceutical profession.
Prince Adeluyi appealed to members of the profession to stay off the unhealthy rivalry between pharmacists and doctors urging them to rather focus on how to correct wrong perceptions of the profession and be more committed to rendering qualitative services that will boost healthcare of Nigerians.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Fidelis Ayebae, who lauded the organisers of the colloquium, described pharmacy as one profession that has contributed immensely to national development through.
He harps on the need for researches to grow the profession and develop an action plan to run with. This he said would help to bring in fresh ideas, and of course add value and wealth to the profession.
Ayebae challenged members of the pharmaceutical body to go out there and be impactful not only in contributing to the pharmacy profession, but also identifying with the national polity and relevant authorities for decision making.
Professor of Pharmacy and Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Prof. Peace Chinedum Babalola as well as the Chairman, Planning Committee of the event, Pharm. Olayinka Oredola, also called for more effective science collaboration describing the colloquium as one designed to make pharmacy profession standard and situate itself where it’s supposed to be in healthcare services.
Meanwhile, the Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed over the weekend handed over two weeks ultimatum to wholesalers of pharmaceutical drugs to relocate to Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) from their current abode at Sabon Gari market, Kano State.
While briefing newsmen in Kano, Ahmed said that there is a penalty for failure to relocate after the stipulated period given.
Ahmed said “With the commissioning of the CWC in Kano today, the sale of medicine in Sabongari market and clustered plazas across Kano State will no longer be tolerated ”
“It is a known fact that the chaotic drug distribution system has been a major factor affecting the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and contribute largely to the menace of drug abuse and misuse in Nigeria”.
He pointed out that the open drug markets across the country, unfortunately have contributed to the challenges of poor storage facilities which expose the medicines to harsh environment factors, like high temperatures and humidity negatively on their quality, safety and efficacy”
Others negative factors listed by the PCN boss are sale of ethical product without the supervision of a pharmacist thus exposing the public to the dangers of wrong use of medicines, Illegal sale of substances of abuse to the public resulting in social and security problems.”
He noted that the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) consulted widely with stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector and medicine dealers in open drug markets nationwide and at the end, it was agreed that they (Medicine Dealers) will all move to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre on December 31st 2018.”
“This deadline was later extended to December 31st, 2019 with a directive that all open drug markets cease to operate with effect from January 1st, 2020,” Ahmed stated.
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