PSN Inaugurates Advisory Board For Effective Health Care Delivery

 

By Chioma Umeha

With the launch of Pharmacy Advisory Board(PAB) on Tuesday in Lagos, a new landscape has been unfolded in the area of effective pharmaceutical care delivery in the country, stakeholders in the industry have said.
Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) said this while performing the inauguration at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Yakasai said that the board has Pharm. (Prince) Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, a renowned pharmacist, as chairman; Pharm. (Dr.) Philip Emafo, Vice-chairman; and Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Akhimien, Secretary.
Other members of the board are Pharm. (Chief) Olu Akinkugbe, Pharm. (Chief) Ayo Fassanmi, Pharm. (Prof.) Ebenezer O. Ogunlana, Pharm. (Senator) Eme U. Ukaette, Pharm. (Alhaji) Mohammed Yaro Budah, Pharm. (Dr.) Uzor N.O. Uwaga, Pharm. Azubike Okwor, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, and Pharm. (Barr.) Chiedu O. Mordi.
The members of the board are all past presidents of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and any incumbent board of fellows.
According to him, PAB is charged with the responsibility of handling conflicts among pharmacists inclined regulatory agency Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Others are the  National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the various sectoral bodies in the practice Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) and  Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN).
The rest are Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM), Association of Community Pharmacist in Nigeria(ACPN) Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacist in Nigeria (AHAPN) industrial and academic pharmacists.
It strikes a balance in the interest among them.
The PSN president explained to the members that the function of the Pharmacy Advisory Board was as spelt out in the constitution in 63.1-4 which states inter alia: “There shall be established a Pharmacy Advisory Board (PAB) to handle conflicts between individual pharmacists, pharmacists-agencies, and inter-agency conflicts.
The Pharmacy Advisory Board shall be the apex conflict resolution platform and final arbiter in organised pharmacy.
“The Pharmacy Advisory Board shall advise the President on matters of national importance referred to it by the president.  The Pharmacy Advisory Board shall be made up of past presidents of PSN and chairman of the Board of Fellows.  Quorum for meeting shall be 4 persons.”
Yakasai said, “I believe with your vast experience and influence you will continue to guide the organised pharmacy in Nigeria to the next level of achievements.  In addition, the character and characteristics of Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi who is the Chairman of this board speak volume of the huge difference the Pharmacy Advisory Board can make in conflict resolution, discipline and uplifting our noble profession going forward.”
He then appealed to the Federal Government to go all the way by constituting the Governing Council of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and National Agency for Foods, Drugs and Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enable the two regulatory agencies perform optimally in terms of drug distribution and discipline to meet the full complement of their statutory mandates.
“Hence, by so doing it will also enhance the work of Pharmacy Advisory Board,” he said, adding that the PSN was working on a proposal for the establishment of National Rehabilitation Centre for Drug Abuse to be presented to both the Legislative and Executive Arms of the Federal Government.
The PSN president said that they were leaving no stone unturned in their drive to eradicate drug abuse and misuse in Nigeria.
He thanked them all for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of pharmacy profession in Nigeria.
Replying, Pharm. (Prince) Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, the chairman of the new board, thanked the PSN president and other past presidents of PSN for nominating them to the board and pledged that the board would be giving the president quality advice.
Prior to the inauguration, Pharm. Yakasai announced to members that Pharm. (Chief) T. O. Akinkugbe Tuesday turned 89 years to the glory of God.
Thereafter, Pharm. Yakasai gave members his score card since he took over the administration of the PSN in 2015. He announced to the jubilation of all that all his campaign promises had all been fulfilled.
Earlier, Pharm. Akintayo said that the inauguration will strike a balance in the roles played by the pharmacists-based regulatory agencies.



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