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By Chioma Umeha
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has
called on the Federal Government to grant preferential provision of foreign
exchange from the official market for pharmaceutical imports because of the
security implications of scarcity of essential lifesaving pharmaceutical
products to the nation.
The PSN made the call against the backdrop of the
impact of recession and lack of foreign exchange (forex) on installed capacity
in the pharmaceutical industry with high import dependence for machinery,
active ingredients, raw and packaging materials.
The PSN reasoned the preferential provision for
forex would enable pharmaceutical companies to pursue the target of the
National Drug Policy for an increase in local production capacity to a level
where 70 per cent of total output satisfies at least 60 per cent of national
drug requirements of essential drugs, while the balance is exported.
These were contained in the Communiqué of the 89th
Annual National Conference of the PSN tagged, “Power State 2016” held at the
Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, Niger
State from November 7 to 12, 2016.
Pharm. Olu Akanmu, Senior Vice President (Retail
Banking), First City Monument Bank Plc, delivered the keynote address at the
conference that was declared open by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was
represented by Prof. Isaac F. Adewole, the Minister of Health.
The theme of the conference was “Pharmaceutical
Industry Contributions to National Development.”
In the communiqué signed by Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai
and Pharm. Gbolagade Iyiola, President and National Secretary of PSN,
respectively, the conference urged government to appreciate numerous obstacles
and roadblocks that continue to afflict business innovation and growth in the
pharmaceutical sector.
It admonished government to address the concerns
through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, Federal
Ministry of Finance and Nigerian Customs Service by the use of tariff
structures to incentivise local production and discourage importation of
medicines that could be produced locally.
The conference appreciated the Minister of Health
for advocating for the local production of long lasting insecticide treated
nets (LLITN) in the country to save scarce foreign exchange.
It observed with delight the presidential-level
‘Ease of Doing Business’ reform efforts of the Federal Government which
involves simplifying the procedures for the import of vital raw materials and
components needed for local manufacture of drugs in Nigeria as well as ensuring
consistency in Customs classifications and regulations.
The body therefore called on the pharmaceutical
companies to formulate a formal and comprehensive National Strategy and Plan of
Action for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to improve the country’s international
competitiveness ratings.
The conference commended government’s interest in
developing the petrochemical industry in the country, saying it will trigger an
impactful industrial revolution that is less import dependent, by so doing
absorb the shocks of foreign exchange volatility, while fulfilling its task of
providing needed pharmaceutical products for the teeming masses.
The communiqué noticed that a petrochemical
industry guarantees availability of a plethora of chemical needs for meaningful
industrial take-off and logically boosts National GDP in addition to the
benefit of additional source of internally generated revenue.
While applauding the news of the continued growth
of the Mega Drug Distribution project instituted by PSN NEC through its pet
project, Ultra Logistics Company Limited, the communiqué noted with
satisfaction the planned business-like approach being employed for its
expansion.
It enjoined pharmacists that are yet to subscribe
to empower themselves by investing in the business.
The conference however, lamented the slow pace at
which Consultancy Cadre in Public Pharmacy Sector was being entrenched,
appealing to Federal and state governments to activate the consultancy
pharmacist philosophy by approving the consultant pharmacy status for all
pharmacists that qualify for it.
The conference also called on government to
reconstitute urgently the boards of National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to
enable them carry out their much-needed roles as custodians and regulators of
medicine and persons involved with the business of medicine.
It insisted that the appointments should be
carried out in a lawful manner to avoid disruption in the equilibrium in the
pharmaceutical sector witnessed in some previous dispensations at PCN and
NAFDAC.
It also said that the regulatory functions of PCN
including disciplinary action, accreditation of training facilities and other
statutory responsibilities were hindered by the dissolution of the Governing
Council of PCN.
It then drew the attention of the Federal
Government to the condition precedent in law to appoint the Director
General/Chief Executive Officer of NAFDAC as provided for in Section 9 of the
NAFDAC enabling Act.
The conference congratulated the past presidents
and in particular the Immediate Past National Executive Council (NEC),
Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and all Pharmacists on the approval by the
National Universities Commission of the Pharm. D degree as the minimum
benchmark qualification for pharmacists in Nigeria.
While noting the contribution of some Deans of
Faculties of Pharmacy towards producing a timeline for the effective
implementation of the Pharm. D. Programme in all Faculties of Pharmacy
nationwide, it called on the PCN and the academia to develop sufficient
pharmaceutical human resources and local technical capacity through relevant
education and training for deployment to needed areas for pharmacy services.
The conference advocated the establishment of
strong University-Industry partnership to promote technology innovation,
entrepreneurship, supply chain and regulatory management to support the
progressive movement of the local pharmaceutical industry to higher levels of
the value chain.
It demanded stronger collaboration between the
pharmaceutical industry and the academia in research and drug development to
produce both locally available active molecules and other raw materials as one
of the ways to attain self-sufficiency in local drug manufacture.
The pharmacists commended the efforts of the
Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria(PCN) to rid the country of Open Drug Markets
using a diplomatic, open-dialogue approach between stakeholders and governments
in affected states, believing that the approach if well-managed would rest the
menace of indiscriminate sales of medicines in unregistered places in the
country.
It mandated the PCN to commence “mobilisation of
players in existing Open Drug Markets to embrace the inevitable relocation to
coordinated wholesale centres (CWCs) in a bid to make the deadline of July 31,
2017 to close Open Drug Markets a reality in Nigeria.”
The conference called on pharmacy inclined
regulatory agencies, pharmacy associations and key leaders in community
pharmacy to engage with government and other healthcare professionals to
develop appropriate policies to institutionalise pharmaceutical care and public
health oriented pharmacy services to enable practitioners practise the roles in
a standardised manner.
At the end of the conference, the AGM elected the
following pharmacists to serve and pilot the affairs of the society for the
next one year. They are Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, President; Pharm. Daniel
Orumwense, Deputy President (South); Pharm. John Enger, Deputy President
(North); Pharm. GbolagadeIyiola, National Secretary; and Pharm. Uzoma Nwigudu,
Asst. National Secretary.
Others are Pharm. Emeka Callistus Duru, National
Treasurer; Pharm. Chinyere Osakwe, National Financial Secretary; Pharm. (Mrs.)
Arinola E. Joda, National Publicity Secretary; Pharm. (Mrs.) Bolajoko Aina, Editor-in-Chief;
Pharm. Amid Olanrewaju Alege, Internal Auditor; Pharm. Victor Okwuosa,
Unofficial Member; Pharm. Idris Pada, Unofficial Member, Pharm. Olumide
Akintayo; Immediate Past President.
