pharmacy

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has recently called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the new Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Bill into law to strengthen action against illegal proprietors of patent medicine stores across the country.

The association said this would bring about a new agenda of efficiency, professionalism, self-sufficiency in local production and regulatory excellence in the pharmaceutical sector.

The ACPN has continued to evaluate recent public health concerns with regards to the increasing challenges of drug abuse and misuse in Nigeria, while stating the need for the federal government to give assent to the pending Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Bill.

In an Open Letter signed by the association’s National Chairman, Mr Samuel Adekola, and the National Secretary, Mrs Abosede Idowu, on Friday, the ACPN listed the gains inherent in the bill.

The group noted that the PCN Bill 2017 is very consistent with similar laws in the Commonwealth League of Nations, where regulatory laws and statues have become very sacred in keeping pace with the norms and ethos of public health.

The letter also harped on one of the philosophies of the National Drug Policy 2005 which is to guarantee that Nigerians have access to safe, efficacious and affordable medicines. This is a cardinal responsibility of every government to its citizen.

According to the document, one of the major benefits of the PCN Bill is that it opens a unique window of competence driven service rendition at all levels.

The PCN Bill also has the unique feature of unhindered empowerment, as all professionals and their cardres of practice are registered as distinct legal entities. It has also removed all ambiguities with regards to offences and relevant commensurate sanctions applicable to all players.

“The PCN Bill has also taken care of effective management of resources by presenting a robust and broad spectrum structure that can work maximally in the interest of the pharma sector, to enhance service delivery at all times.

The ACPN, therefore appealed to the federal government, to heed to this clarion call to engender a new agenda of productivity, professionalism, self-sufficiency in local and regulatory excellence in the pharma sector.