PSN to Hold Public Lecture for National Health Development

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Board of Fellows (BOF) of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is set to hold its third public lecture on Tuesday June 29 at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja Lagos to gear up for future public health emergency challenges and national development.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Friday, the Chairman of BOF, Mbang Femi-Oyewo, said that as a profession, pharmacists play a key role in the national development and healthcare system of the country.

She said: “The pharmaceutical industry and indeed pharmacists contribute to the country’s revenue and healthcare system through our products and services to the entire healthcare sector.”

Hence, she listed areas that need to be addressed. Among them are: the current state of our national development and healthcare system; impact Covid-19 pandemic on the national development of the healthcare system, positive and or negative; and lessons learnt from Covid-19 pandemic.

While bemoaning that the current global challenges threw all countries off balance, including Nigerians and other African countries, Femi-Oyewo highlighted that it exposed the nation’s lack of preparedness and inadequacies in all sectors during the crisis.

Therefore, this hybrid public lecture, which is its third mid-year lecture, affords the fellows an opportunity to examine the positions of the board, the PSN and the profession and strategise for their better positioning.

According to the chairman, it is also a time to participate in national discourse and make their contributions, not forgetting the networking and fellowship with one another.

Meanwhile, the BOF projects remain a campaign against drug/substance abuse. “It is no longer news that the incidence of drug/substance abuse in Nigeria has assumed an epidemic dimension especially among children, adolescents and the youth, which calls for widespread intervention.

“As you are all aware pharmacists are custodians of medicines which include drugs, vaccines, and biologicals.”

For the chairman, it has become necessary for BOF to get involved in checkmating this menace through advocacy, campaign against drug abuse and rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse. “They must think wise, act smart and say no to drugs.”

Harping on the effect of drugs, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Wholesalers & Distributors Association of Nigeria (PWDAN), Mr. Ernest Okafor, said BOF (PSN) is trying to address the effects of drug and substance abuse in the country. “We have partnered some rehab centres to provide drugs and services to victims.”

With plans to hold Dinner/Award night on June 30 this year, Okafor said BOF will be awarding deserving pharmacists, who have distinguished themselves in the profession over the years.

Special guests expected are: the Chairman of the occasion and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha; and the Guest Speaker and Director General, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu.