– As Oladigbolu assumes office
The National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu, has stated that the incessant strikes in the healthcare sector is a further proof of the need for government at levels to recognise community pharmacists as primary healthcare provides.
Oladigbolu said it is a known fact that Nigeria’s health indices are not encouraging, when compared with other countries in the world, adding that the situation can be improved with better recognition and engagement of pharmacists.
According to him, “In the league of nations that have a developed healthcare system, Nigeria cannot be found among the top 50. One of the missing gaps in achieving better health outcomes is for the federal and state governments to accord community pharmacists the right and privileges to do more for the people of our great country.
“This is very important in a country like ours where maternal and child mortality is very high. Pharmacists can stand in the gap because people have trust in them and they are very close to the community”.
Oladigbolu, who made the remarks at his inauguration as ACPN chairman, promised not to run a better executive but a different regime.
“When you set out to compete, you won’t be able to do anything, so we are going to run this administration differently,” he assured.
Appreciating and soliciting the support of his executive committee and other members of the society, Oladigbolu said: “Where I had the opportunity to serve in the past, what I enjoyed doing most is bringing people together for greater harvest and that will be my focus. I will celebrate each and every one and raise your potentials, tap into it in such a way that pharmacist services in Nigeria will be better.
“Let me seize this opportunity to thank all the community pharmacists in Nigeria for the trust repose in my team. I want to assure all of you that we will ride on the shoulders of our leaders past and with innovation to take our association to greater heights.
“We have made campaign promises and then it is my wish that you will support me to bring them to reality. I can’t do it alone. In the past, for the positions in which I had served, I made little promises and tried as much as possible to deliver beyond expectations. This time around, the stake is higher. So I require all of you to come around and support.”
The new ACPN helmsman also appreciated the immediate past chairman of the association, Dr Samuel Adekola, for his sacrifices and passion for pharmacy development in Nigeria.
Addressing him, he said: “One thing we can’t take away from you is your passion for pharmacists and leadership potential. God will continue to be with you for all your contributions towards the development of ACPN in Nigeria over the past three years. I am also using this opportunity to say Happy World Pharmacists Day 2021 to every pharmacist in Nigeria and across the world.”
Speaking while handing over, Adekola expressed readiness to offer assistance to the new executives anytime he is called upon.
In his words, “As a matter of fact, I want the new executives to succeed more than I did. I want you to achieve greater things for this our great association than I did. That is the only way I can be happy and I will continue to offer advice where necessary.”
The new members of the executive include Pharm. Ambrose Eze, national secretary; Pharm. Nkiru Chuka Okoye, assistant national secretary; Pharm. Ashore Omokhafe, treasurer; Pharm. Samuel Babatunde, national financial secretary; Pharm. Kenneth Ujah, publicity secretary; Pharm. Okwor Ikechukwu, national internal auditor; and Pharm. Babajide Giwa, national editor-in-chief.
