Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria

Pharmacy House, Lagos

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80th National Conference communique

The PSN held its 80th Annual National Conference/Anniversary Celebration from Monday 5th - 9th November, 2007. The theme of the Conference was “PHARMACY PRACTICE IN NIGERIA: NEW THINKING, FRESH FOCUS”. The Conference was declared open by his Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, Governor of Lagos State, ably represented by Her Excellency, Princess (Mrs.) Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

The Chairman of the occasion was His Excellency, Pharm Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, Executive Governor of Taraba State. Other Dignitaries who graced the Conference include:

Pharm (Prince) Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi,FPSN,OFR,mni, Chairman, Odua Group of Companies and former Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, wife of the Governor of Lagos State, who flagged off the Conference walk, Mrs. Mayowa Ikuforiji, wife of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Pharm. (Hon.) Toyin Hamzat, Special Adviser on Health to Lagos State Governor, Pharm (Alh) Isa Bio Ibrahim, Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Pharm (AIh) Mohammed M. Alkali, Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Prof. Adenike Grange, Honourable Minister of Health duly represented by Pharm J. E. B. Adagazu, Director, Food and Drug Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Pharm Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, Minister of State for Defence, represented by Mrs. Dora Matse–Orere, Prof. Dora Akunyili, FPSN, OFR, DG. NAFDAC, Prof. F. A. Ogunbona, FPSN, Chairman, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, FPSN, Chairman, Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Dr. Daniel Gana,mni, President, Nigerian Medical Association. Eminent resource persons and guests at the Conference were Mr. Aikhorin Ekundayo, Managing Director. Union Homes Savings and Loans, Mr. Anayo Agu, Senior Consultant, Commercial Department American Embassy, Lagos.

The Keynote Address was delivered by Pharm (Dr) Dere Awosika, FPSN, mni, Director, Parastatals, Public Service Office, Office of The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abuja.

Conference deliberated on the theme and sub-themes of the Conference as well as on contemporary issues in Pharmacy practice and the general state of the nation, and made the following resolutions:

1. Conference reiterated that the mission of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria/Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria is to improve the knowledge and skills of Pharmacists, position them to contribute in an incremental manner in multi-disciplinary effort which is the hallmark of healthcare all over the world. Conference declared that this professional mandate must be pursued with humility, vigor and deep sense of respect for other members of the health team. Pharmacists would not seek to compete for relevance with other members of the health team, but rather continually seek to widen the window of opportunity to intervene meaningfully and professionally in drug therapy and ensure better health outcome for patients.

2. Conference reviewed the State of Pharmacy Practice and called on Government and the National Assembly to facilitate an immediate review and harmonize all Nigerian Drug Laws so as to remove the age-long bottleneck in the smooth implementation of the relevant laws.

3. Conference congratulated the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) for the recent approval of a six year Doctor of Pharmacy Programme (Pharm. D), as the minimum qualification for the registration of Pharmacists in Nigeria. Conference then called on all Faculties of Pharmacy in Nigerian Universities to implement, without further delay, the National Universities Commission approval in order to meet the health needs of Nigerians.

4. Conference welcomed the position of the Health Minister, Prof. Adenike Grange, on her crusade to reverse the poor health indicators of the Country with a renewed thrust on Primary Healthcare. Conference is also happy to note her willingness to work with all stakeholders in the health industry. To achieve this lofty aim, conference calls for a better and coordinated team spirit in healthcare, against a backdrop of changing health needs, health policy, professional roles and the attendant shortages of manpower due to brain drain and discriminatory wages.

5. Conference noted with regret and concerns the resort to misinformation by the hierarchy of a “prominent stakeholder” in the health sector which continues to give the impression that it has sole right in patient care by asserting “ownership” of patients. Conference put on record that the tendency to narrow the complex demands of managed care to the doorstep of only one profession amounts to a climax of absurdity, indeed it is a NIGERIAN brand of healthcare. The challenges in the Nigerian Health Sector are so fundamental and enormous that we (Pharmacists) cannot afford the luxury of engaging in frivolities, quarreling over who owns’ the “Patients”. We remind other stakeholders in healthcare that the intention of a patient who steps into any health facility is not to look for his or her “owner”. What the Patient wants is our collective expertise, knowledge and skills to ameliorate his/her condition at the shortest possible time and without impoverishing the patient.

6. Conference congratulated the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), on the recent landmark judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which declared in apocalyptic terms that the PCN has a specific approbation in law, by virtue of Section 1 (i) (d) of Decree 91 of 1992 which empowers it to regulate and control pharmacy practice in all its aspects and ramifications in Nigeria and to inspect and register all hospital pharmacy departments in the public and private sector. Conference subsequently encouraged the PCN to commence an immediate enforcement of its statutory duty in this respect with the highest regard to the sensibilities of all Stakeholders in the relevant sector.

7. Conference once more commended the efforts of NAFDAC for its courage in the face of daunting challenges in discharging its mandate of safeguarding the health of the Nation. Conference re-appraised the efforts made so far by regulatory bodies such as NAFDAC, APCON, etc, on the registration and advertisement of products, and called for a forum to discuss and harmonize requirements in order to prevent unwarranted high cost of drugs.

Conference was shocked that some politicians in certain part of the country are trying to derail the efforts of NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies. Conference therefore appealed to the President, Umar Musa Yar’Adua, GCFR, to call these politicians to order to allow NAFDAC operatives carry out their statutory responsibility without hindrance in the interest of the unsuspecting consuming public.

8. Conference commended President, Umar Yar’Adua for the continued fight against corruption and his present stance on entrenchment of the rule of law. Conference therefore frowned at the failure of enforcement of the applicable laws in pharmacy practice and calls on the Federal Government to direct all relevant Ministries and Agencies to enforce all relevant pharmacy laws especially those pertaining to sale of drugs in the open drug markets which will guarantee a sanitized system of drug distribution for the citizenry.

9. Conference reiterated its previous calls on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to jettison its discriminatory policy of the “unlawful” global capitation concept by embracing lawful payment mechanisms, spelt out in decree 35 of 1999 which ensures equity and fair play to all, as the HMOs are mandated to pay the bills of primary, secondary and tertiary providers directly in the scheme. Conference also frowned at the misnomer of capitating secondary and tertiary care facilities in the NHIS, which vitiates the definition of what constitutes primary care services in the scheme. Conference posited that for the NHIS to be credible in implementation, the management must stick to the globally recognized status of primary care facilities as its resort to the excuse of access to care facilities cannot be used justifiably to negate the spirit of existing Acts of Parliament in the country.

10. Conference congratulates the winner of the 3rd edition of the May and Baker award, Dr. Abiodun Falodun, a lecturer of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the University of Benin. Conference enjoined other companies to institute similar award in promoting professional excellence in pharmacy.

11. Conference congratulates the Lagos State Government, the Centre of Excellence, on its support to the Pharmacy profession in ensuring that Pharmacists that qualify are promoted to level 17, the first State to have carried out this feat. Conference also appreciates the Governor and his Cabinet for the free screening programme for diabetic and hypertensive patients, which recently took place in all local governments in the State. Conference particularly thanked the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and his lovely wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Emanuella Abimbola Fashola, the Deputy Governor, Princess (Mrs.) Sarah Adebisi Sosan, the State Executive Council, the State Assembly and the good people of Lagos State, for the five star hospitality which facilitated the success of the Conference.

12. At the end of the Conference, AGM elected the following Pharmacists to serve and pilot the affairs of the Society for the next one year:

1. Pharm. (Sir.) Anthony Akhimien, FPSN - President
2. Pharm. (Mrs.) Abiola Isawode MAW - 1st Deputy President
3. Pharm. (Hon.) Okechukwu Dike - 2nd Deputy President
4. Pharm. N. A. E. Mohammed MAW - National Secretary
5. Pharm. Ndukwe Uma Ndukwe - Asst. Nat. Secretary
6. Pharm. Adebayo Ogunbadejo MAW - National Treasurer
7. Pharm. S. T. Odewoye - Nat. Financial Sec.
8. Pharm. Chika Agughasi - Nat. Pub. Secretary
9. Pharm. (Mrs.) Arinola Joda - Editor-in-Chief
10. Pharm. (Dr.) Ejiro Foyibo - Internal Auditor
11. Pharm. Azubike Okwor FPSN - Unofficial Member
12. Pharm. Ndalima Yusuf FPSN - Unofficial Member
13. Pharm. (Dr.) U. N. O. Uwaga FPSN, mni - Immediate Past President

@2007. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria

Pharmacy House, 32 Faramobi Ajike Street, Anthony Village, PO Box 531, Lagos, Nigeria

Tel: +234-1-470-1069 Fax: +234-1-497-8077 E-mail: info@ps-nigeria.org