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| L-R: Emeka C. Duru, National Secretary; Ahmed Yakasai, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) President; Bhushan Akshikar, Managing Director, Glaxosmithkline Nigeria, and Prof Martins Emeje, Chairman, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) at the briefing on the 2018 World Pharmacists Day in Lagos, recently. |
•Seeks Reconstitution Of PCN, MDCN, Others
Chioma Umeha
To guarantee better health outcomes for patients
in the country, pharmacists have called on the Federal Government to implement
the approved Consultancy cadre for practitioners in the country’s hospitals.
Making the call was Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, the
President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) who frowned at the delay
over the implementation noted that that the Head of Service of the Federation
has been foot dragging on the issue.
Pharm. Yakasai who spoke during the celebration of
this year’s World Pharmacists Day further reasoned that executing the approved
Consultancy Cadre will give room for their recognition as medicine experts.
The PSN boss further said that the theme of this
year’s World Pharmacists Day, ‘Pharmacists: Your Medicines Experts,’ is in line
with the PSN call for recognition as experts.
He noted that PSN for decades have been calling
for recognition of pharmacists in Nigeria as medicine experts and as
consultants in the nation’s hospitals, insisting that the approval will help
ensure better health outcomes for patients.
He said; “Pharmacists demand the release of the
circular by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation on Consultancy
Cadre for pharmacists in public service as approved by the National Council on
Establishment.”
Pharm. Yakasai, however, lamented that the Head of
Service of the Federation has been foot dragging on the issue.
He also observed that the Nigerian nation needs
optimum medicine management, which is only possible if Nigerian pharmacists are
given the opportunity to practice to their full scope of practice.
This, the PSN president said, means allowing
pharmacists to have the opportunity to improve the outcomes of medicine
management in the Nigerian healthcare system.
Pharm. Yakasai further explained that this entails
rewarding pharmacists in the country for their significant expertise, skills
and training and having a framework that allows them to have career development
and recognition.
His words; “As the President of PSN, I strongly
believe that pharmacists as the medicines experts should have the opportunity
to practise to their full scope of practice. “This means that pharmacists
should have the opportunity to improve the outcomes of medicines management in
the Nigerian healthcare system. If we are sincere in addressing pertinent
issues that we have with medicine management in this country then pharmacists
must be able to do more.”
The PSN President stressed; “We must ensure that
the pharmacists are supported professionally by the government to be the best
healthcare practitioners they can be.
“They must be recognised as medicines experts;
they should be rewarded for their significant expertise, skills and training
and we must have a framework that allows for career development and
recognition.
“For our healthcare delivery to move to the next
level we need optimum medicine management and Pharmacists as medicine experts
are crucial in the actualisation of this goal.”
He also identified poverty as the number one cause
of disagreement among healthcare professionals in the country, especially in
the discharge of their duties.
According to him, healthcare practitioners need to
collaborate in performing their duties regardless of the area of
specialisation.
Rivalry between healthcare practitioners, he
insisted, is detrimental to the health of patients.
Pharm. Yakasai also appealed to the Federal
Government to reconstitute the council of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN),
Nigerian Medical and Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and National Institute of
pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) without further delay.
The PSN boss while faulting the Yayale report,
urged the Federal Government to disregard it, saying that it is one-sided and
generate further crisis in the sector.
He said; “The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria as
a matured and peaceful professional organ wishes to use this opportunity to
appeal to the Federal Government to reconstitute the council of Pharmacists
Council of Nigeria (PCN), Nigerian Medical and Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and
National Institute of pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) without
further delay.
“Also discard the Yayale report as it will only
create more problems to the already fragmented healthcare system. The report is
considered to be biased and not in tune with current trends in healthcare
delivery development globally.”
Pharm. Yakasai called for a prescription policy
and effective implementation, saying that this will enable every healthcare
practitioner practice ethically, remove unhealthy rivalry and promote
specialisation.
“Lastly, as pharmacists are responsible for
ensuring the safe, effective and rational use of medicines, we appeal for a
prescription policy and effective implementation so that every healthcare
practitioner can practice ethically and remain on his lane.”
He reiterated pharmacists’ commitment to the
advancement of the health sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
He however tasked the government to provide the
enabling environment for pharmacists to contribute effectively and efficiently
to the healthcare delivery system in the country as medicine experts.
Similarly, Pharm. Duru Emeka, National Secretary,
PSN stated that all over the world, pharmacists now contribute to healthcare
delivery by applying their different skills acquired during training and work
place experience.
In a separate report, Dr Francis Adedayo Faduyile,
President of the Nigerian Medical Association, and all members of NMA congratulated Pharm. Yakasai and every pharmacists in Nigeria and across the world on the special
occasion of the World Pharmacists Day.
The NMA President says the theme for this year’s
celebration: “Pharmacists: your medicines experts” is a reflection of the
important and key role played by Pharmacists within the healthcare team
globally.
“In line with the theme for this year’s
celebration, we urge the PSN to reflect on the poor health indices of Nigerians
and come out with the roles you can play to stem the ugly tide.”
“We also wish to reiterate our commitment to
maintain the already established cordiality and collaboration with your
members, ensuring harmony within the health sector for the benefit of the
patients,” Dr Faduyile added.
The International Pharmaceutical Federation, FIP,
had in 2009 designated 25 September to mark the annual World Pharmacists Day.
Dr Carmen Peña, the Immediate past President of International
Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) observes, “World Pharmacists Day 2018 will
focus on the extensive expertise that pharmacists have and put to use every day
to ensure better and improved patient health outcomes.
This expertise is applied through science and
research, through educating the next generation, and through transforming
patient needs into services.
The theme of World Pharmacists Day emphasises that
pharmacists are a trusted source of knowledge and advice, not only for patients
but for other healthcare professionals. For every patient who walks into a
pharmacy, pharmacists ensure that the right medicine is provided at the right
dose and in the most suitable formulation.
FIP encourages pharmacists to use this day to
organise activities that promote and advocate for the role of the pharmacist in
improving health in every corner of the world.
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