St Racheal’s Pharma, a Nigeria-based pharmaceutical company aligned to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has signed a memorandum of understanding with HealthPlus Pharmacy, West Africa’s fastest growing pharmacy chain, to distribute pharmaceutical products in the country.

The signing ceremony, which took place at St Racheal’s corporate office in Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos on 21 June, 2018, had journalists, as well as directors and management staff of both companies in attendance.

According to a statement signed by both parties, the partnership will span two years at the initial stage with a view to dominate the Nigerian pharma sector. A renewal is expected to take place after.

Among other things, St Racheal’s is expected to upskill HealthPlus staff in the area of soft infrastructure (strategic marketing planning, supply chain management, customer service and corporate co-branding of both Below-The-Line (BTL) and Above-the-Level (ATL) advertising.

Healthplus, on its part, will be committed to procuring pharma products from St Racheal’s, maintaining adequate inventory of St Rachael’s medicines across a network of outlets nationwide, allowing access to a network of other retail outlets for learning and development, as well as allowing access for periodic stock counts and providing regular data.

In his opening remark, Pharm. Akinjide Adeosun, chairman/CEO of St Racheal’s, explained that the signing of the MOU represented a symbiotic and mutual relationship aimed at putting the patient first.

“Access to medicine will be improved in communities where HealthPlus pharmacies are situated across the length and breadth of Nigeria. It will also foster the knowledge-base of healthcare workers who look after patients, with ultimate goal of improvement in treatment outcomes,” he said.

Adeosun also identified low life expectancy of patients and low business longevity as two major challenges plaguing the healthcare industry to date.

“In Nigeria, the life expectancy rate for male is 53 and 56 for years for females. This is largely due to poverty, chronic diseases, inequality in education and poor lifestyle. This is why St Racheal’s is providing bioequivalent drugs at half the price of multinational innovators.

“The objective of our organisation is to tackle these challenges in partnership with critical stakeholders in Africa, in resonance with our quest “to improve life expectancy through availability of top quality affordable drugs in Africa,” he said.

Pharm. Bukky George, in her address, revealed that her relationship with both Pharm. Akinjide Adeosun and his wife, Pharm. Olubamiwo had been on for more than 20 years, adding that the birth of St Racheal’s over a year ago was a milestone in the history of Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.

“I say this because St Racheal’s is a reputable pharmaceutical company with a vision to eradicate diseases in Africa through provision of top quality, affordable and available pharmaceuticals, thereby improving life expectancy of patients.

“The company is also committed to global best practices, one of which is the need to formalise commercial relationships between pharma suppliers and their customers, stating service level agreements, terms and conditions. That is why we are here today,” she noted.

Notable for high quality healthcare and beauty products, Healthplus Pharmacy has received several laurels in the last 10 years, some of which included Nigerian Customer Service Award 2017, ICERITAS Best Buy Award 2017 and the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

St Racheal’s, on the other hand, is named after the grandmother of Pharm. Adeosun who died four years ago. The idea of immortalising her, according to the pharma entrepreneur, was due to her entrepreneurial spirit, integrity, steadfastness and other similar virtues she espoused.

Among dignitaries in attendance at the event were Pharm. Ochuko Omaruaye, managing director, New Heights Pharmaceuticals; Mr Taiwo Ajibola, managing director, MDS Logistics and Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun, director, St Racheal’s Pharma.

The main auditorium of the National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Laboratories Complex, Oshodi, was filled to capacity with key stakeholders on Thursday, as they converged to witness the formal presentation of the drafted guidelines on Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) as well as to discuss improved methods of using the MAS scheme to the benefit of all.

Addressing the audience, Prof. Adeyeye stated that MAS was introduced into the country eight years ago, precisely on 2 February 2010, by NAFDAC as a means of tackling the menace of substandard and falsified medicines in Nigeria.

She noted that the MAS scheme provided a platform to empower over 167 million subscribers on the Nigerian Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) to verify the genuineness of the antimalarials, antibiotics and other medicines currently on the scheme.

While the pilot phase of MAS, which was conducted by Sproxil was a success, the NAFDAC DG said other service providers like M-pedigree, UBQ-t, PharmaSecure and Savante Consulting, came on board in the provision of the MAS scheme for the Nigerian populace.

Prof. Adeyeye further noted that although the MAS scheme was a veritable anti-counterfeit tool in the hands of the consumers, which bestowed the direct power of detecting substandard and falsified medicines into the hands of the consumers, it was however fraught with some challenges in the process of implementation.

Going forward, she said the agency is ready to partner with all stakeholders to improve on the presented guidelines, which she described as the first draft of MAS guidelines, for the maximum benefits of stakeholders and consumers.

“While we are hoping to scale-up the scheme to include more drugs, although not every drug will be included, NAFDAC plans to engage manufacturers, pharmacists, MAS providers, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders in the scaling up process of the drafted guidelines for the best outcomes”, she asserted.

The CHAI Country Director, stressed the importance of technology to national development, saying technology moves rapidly, but regulation catches up slowly with technology, and this is not a good development, because the faster national policies move with technology, the better for that nation.

Expressing the support of CHAI to the MAS guidelines, Fashanu stated her displeasure to the performance of MAS in Nigeria, saying “after eight years of its introduction into the country, MAS is under-performing in Nigeria compared to what obtains in other countries”.

She further condemned that act of glossing over some critical issues relating to drugs, adding that “if we don’t get issues relating to drugs right, it has the power to impoverish the national, especially women and children’s health”.

The CHAI Director however gave the agency her word, noting that they are ready to work with NAFDAC in coordinating the MAS scheme beyond anti-malarials and antibiotics, which it has presently.

In her own contribution, Dr Okoli appreciated the NAFDAC DG for such presentation and the opportunity to discuss matter  of common interest in the industry, stating that it is not just enough for people at the helms of affair to form policies, but they must ensure that the policies are doable, straight forward, for the benefits of all.

She however expressed the concern of manufacturers regarding the scheme, saying it is a levy to place manufacturers under MAS, adding that those adulterating their drugs have more sophisticated technology than the manufacturers, thus, asked the NAFDAC DG for the way forward on this?

For the newly elected ACPN National Chairman, he said his members are willing to work with the MAS scheme, provided NAFDAC and MAS providers are ready to rectify the anomalies encountered so far with the scheme.

“There is need for providers to educate consumers further on what to do, when the desirable information is not displayed. We need to engage the patients in counselling and that is where the issue of trust comes in”, he stated.

In a bid to intensify campaign against all forms of drug abuse, the serene city of Benin, Edo State came alive once again as the First Lady of the state, Chief (Mrs) Betsy Obaseki, joined the President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai; the immediate past National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm. (Dr) Albert Kelong Alkali, and hundreds of community pharmacists nationwide to walk against drug abuse.

The ACPN “Walk Against Drug Abuse”, which was part of activities carried out to kick-start the recently held 37th Annual National Conference of ACPN, which was held in Benin, Edo State, started at the venue of the conference and terminated at Airport Road, close to Government House, Benin, Edo State.

Addressing pressmen during the exercise, the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Magdalene Ohenhen, congratulated the ACPN on its 37^th Annual National Conference, and noted that the government of Edo State, under the leadership of His Excellency, Mr Godwin Obaseki, was leaving nothing to chance, in its effort to dissuade youths from engaging in drug abuse.

According to her, “the present government has launched several campaigns to show that his administration is ready for war against all forms of drug abuse, adding that it has embarked on series of activities on various platforms and avenues, to ensure that the campaign gets to the nooks and crannies in the state,” she said.

The first lady added that the youth group is the largest population that is vulnerable in the state as far as drug and alcohol issues are concerned, stressing that their health and optimal development is critical to national development agenda and deserves significant attention. “Hence, the state would not fold its arms and watch the scourge continue”.

Also speaking, the PSN President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, said the body is concerned about the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria and has consistently left no stone unturned to ensure the nation is rid of this potentially catastrophic vice.

Speaking further, the number-one pharmacist in the country noted that the PSN has been engaging different stakeholders on measures and strategies that could be employed to effectively curtail a phenomenon that poses a great challenge to the entire nation, adding that one of such pragmatic engagements was the one-day workshop, organised by the editorial committee of the PSN for a selected group of health journalists in Lagos.

In his own contribution, the immediate past National Chairman, ACPN, Dr Albert Kelong Alkali, disclosed that drug abuse is one of the greatest challenges the country is facing presently, adding that there is no better time than now to start sensitising the younger ones about the dangers inherent in it, as it has become a big menace to the society.

While explaining that the ‘Walk Against Drug Abuse” exercise was organised to inform and enlightened the public about the danger inherent in drug abuse and to kick-start its annual national conference in the state, further implored parents and members of the society, not to stop creating awareness among their children and youths respectively, on the dangers of drug abuse, adding that parents should monitor their children closely if they must effectively tackle drug use in them.

– As Dortemag holds infectious disease forum

A consultant paediatrician has called on the federal government and stakeholders in the health sector to step up public enlightenment on the severity of sepsis.

Speaking at the 2018 Annual Infectious Diseases forum organised by Dortemag Pharma Limited at Radisson Blu Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos on 27 June, Dr Efunbo Dosekun, chief executive officer, Outreach Women and Children Hospital, described sepsis as a life-threatening complication of an infection.

“Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body.

“Today, Sepsis is the biggest killer of children in the world. All forms of disorder, from viral illness, fungi and severe malaria can lead to Sepsis.  It often gets to a point you fear the body doesn’t belong to you again,” she said.

While reiterating that the condition is under-reported in the society, she stated that looking after patients is a collective responsibility.

“People with such condition often show up at the pharmacy with complaints of flu, fever or malaria. The thought of hospital comes up only when the ailment becomes acute.

“Unfortunately, our health sector is plagued by poor funding, misdiagnoses, superstition, poor education and no proper awareness campaign,” she lamented.

Also speaking at the event, Dr Oluseyi Adesola, head of medicine department, Mainland Hospital, Lagos, called for empathy from health professionals.

“Some doctors are still living in the past; they think everything they say or do should be accepted without question. That is wrong!

“We need to start engaging patients, explaining what they are passing through and why you are administering a particular course of treatment. We need to come down to their level,” he stressed.

In a related development, Jackson Teh, business development manager (ethical division), Kotra Pharma, Malaysia, has declared that given the range of high quality medicines available to patients across the globe, it is unacceptable for medical professionals to attribute death of any patient to adverse drug reaction.

Teh, a pharmacist, added that unless proven otherwise, pharmacists and doctors are always on the lookout for safe, quality and affordable drugs for their patients.

“From generics to innovator brands, health professionals are open to several options. Therefore, quoting the words of Dr Vladimir Lepakhin, dying from a disease is sometimes unavoidable. But, dying from an adverse drug reaction is totally unacceptable.”

“That said, it must also be noted that long term use of substandard antibiotics or poor storage of antibiotics could lead to bacterial resistance and sometimes, organ damage,” Teh said.

Some dignitaries at the event included Prof. Fola Tayo, chairman of the occasion; Pharm. Oluseye Agboola, chairman, Dortemag Pharma; Pharm. Olabisi Opanuga, director of pharmacy, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); Pharm. Samuel Ojuoko, director of pharmaceutical service and Mrs Dorcas Agboola, managing director of Dortemag Pharma.

With 36 years of pharmaceutical experience, Kotra Pharma was incorporated in 1982 and initially specialised in distribution of pharmaceutical products throughout Malaysia.

In 1985, Kotra ventured into the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. Since then, it has become a successful and reputable manufacturer and distributor of prescribed and non-prescribed pharmaceutical products.

– As 17 pharmacies bag COPA awards

Dr Dorothy Oqua, country director of Howard University Global Initiative Nigeria (HUGIN) and Dr Albert Kelong Alkali, national chairman of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), have said that the war against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Nigeria will soon be won.

Oqua, while speaking at a programme organised to celebrate and award selected pharmacies in the country that have attained some level of accreditation by the Community Pharmacy Action Centre (COPA), at Rembrandt Hotel, Ikeja, explained that the mandate of HUGIN is to strengthen the capacity of pharmacy systems and pharmacists to provide sustainable and qualitative pharmaceutical care for HIV-infected clients and their families at primary, secondary and tertiary facilities, and communities in Nigeria.

This mandate, according to her, involves collaborating with community pharmacists, through the ACPN, in states supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She listed the states to include Lagos, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, as weall as  the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking further, Oqua noted that the said collaboration is based on a model of differentiated care called “Community Pharmacy ARV Refill Programme (CPARP)”, where stable, willing and able patients are assigned to community pharmacies to receive their Antiretrovirals (ARVs) refill, with semi-annual return to the hospital for clinical and laboratory assessment.

“The client pays a token to the community pharmacist for the service rendered, but the drugs are free, funded by the US government, and at the end of the day, the client is happy and the community pharmacist is happy, while the hospital is freer. It’s a win-win situation for all,” she said.

Appealing to pharmacists in the country to support the initiative, Oqua said: “I want to encourage all pharmacists, not just those in community practice, to get involved in this project, because HIV/AIDS, presently, is affecting over 3.2 million Nigerians, according to reports. Fortunately, all these people should not have anything to worry about as HIV/AIDs is no longer a death sentence, provided the person is exposed to adequate and proper care. Therefore pharmacists are importantly needed.”

Dr Alkali, in his address, noted that with the intervention programme of HUGIN, in collaboration with ACPN and PCN, Nigeria is definitely on the path to winning the war against HIV/AIDS.

“Over the years, the prevalence of the disease has been going down drastically and by 2030 we hope that we will not be having new cases of HIV infection in the country,” he said.

Speaking further, Alkali explained that the COPA initiative is designed to reposition selected community pharmacies as a models  to influence surrounding pharmacies to brace up to modern and pharmacy best practices, saying it’s a means of improving patients’ outcome by ensuring the rational use of medicines in Nigeria.

He added that HUGIN, in collaboration with ACPN and PCN, rolled out the COPA initiative as the quality assurance and quality improvement model, under the platform of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-funded Sustainable Financing Initiative (SFI) of the Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services (SIDHAS) project.

Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator of the Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS In Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Mr Victor Omosehin, lauded HUGIN and ACPN for reducing the burden on HIV patients.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of awards to 17 pharmacies across four states – Lagos (seven), Rivers (four), Cross River (three) and Akwa-Ibom (three).

The awardees who were awarded under the category of COPA 1 included Epilson Pharmacy, Lagos; Drug Consult Pharmacy, Lagos; Mebik Pharmacy, Lagos; Silverline Pharmacy, Lagos; Rozec Pharmacy, Lagos; Barata Pharmacy, Rivers; GottGabe Pharmacy, Rivers; Healthspa Pharmacy, Rivers; Wilson Pharmacy, Rivers; Eagle Eye Pharmacy, Cross River; Joe Manuel Pharmacy, Cross River; Remcare Pharmacy, Cross River; Prolimsa Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom; One Stop Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom; and Golden Drugs Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom State.

Alpha Pharmacy and Victory Drugs Limited, both from Lagos State were awarded under the COPA 3 category.

Other dignitaries at the programme included Pharm. NAE Mohammed, registrar, PCN; Pharm. Iyke Onyechi, managing director, Alpha Pharmacy and Stores Ltd; Pharm. Gbenga Fajemiro, NAFDAC; Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, president, PSN, who was represented by Pharm. Daniel Orumwese, deputy president, PSN; Pharm. Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Pharm. Samuel Adekola; Pharm. Chima Ogbu, among others

HUGIN is a non-governmental organisation saddled with the objective of reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS in targeted areas of Nigeria, through strengthened delivery of high quality comprehensive HIV/AIDS services.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will put necessary measures in place to control influx of unregistered alcoholic drinks into Nigerian markets.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday. “Efforts are being made by NAFDAC to control such products by holding back on further registration of alcohol in such packaging,’’ she said.

Prof.  Adeyeye explained that this was part of her submissions at the just concluded 41st session of Codex Alimentarious Commission (CAC) in Rome, Italy.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is an intergovernmental body with over 180 members, within the framework of the Joint Food Standards Programme established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It was established to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade. It promotes coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organisations.

“Alcohol is available in sachets in Nigeria and these products are dangerous to children due to ease of accessibility.

“Harmful use of alcohol is a major obstacle to sustainable development. It has an impact on the health and well-being of the drinkers and their friends, family, colleagues. And it can damage the social and economic fabric of the society.”

The NAFDAC boss stated that harmful use of alcohol was a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and injury conditions affecting maternal health and child development.

According to her, it is also the cause of some non-communicable diseases and conditions such as cancer, adding that a drunkard could easily turn violent on the road and cause an accident.

The NAFDAC boss explained that there was the tendency for drunkards to engage in unprotected sexual activities which could predispose him or her to infectious diseases such as TB and HIV/AIDS.

Prof.  Adeyeye described Codex Alimentarius as a collection of internationally adopted food standards and related texts presented in a uniform manner.

She said that these food standards and related texts were aimed at protecting consumers’ health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade.

“This is consistent with the mandate of NAFDAC which include; to regulate and control importation, exportation, manufacture, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food among others.”

(NAN)

Pharm. Samuel Oluwaoromipin Adekola, former national vice-chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), has emerged the winner of the ACPN National Chairmanship Election held, Friday, 6  July 2018, during the association’s Annual General Meeting at the SIO Event Centre, Benin City, Edo State, beating his opponent, Pharm. Chima Ogbu with a total of 292 to 288 votes.

According to the results announced by the Chairman, ACPN Electoral body, Pharm. Yunusa Mohid Nasir, a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, the total number of 580 delegates were accredited and participated in the election, with Pharm. Adekola, a community pharmacist from Akure, Ondo State, polling 292 votes to edge his closest opponent, Pharm. Chima Ogbu, from Rivers State, who polled 288 votes. The latter was declared the winner and presented with the certificate of office, having garnered the highest votes.

The electoral body chairman also announced Pharm. Sunday Ike, a community pharmacist from Abuja, and former chairman, ACPN, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the winner of the national publicity secretary post with 331 votes, beating his opponent, Pharm. Babatunde Samuel, popularly known as ‘BABSAM’,  from Ilorin, and former chairman, ACPN, Kwara State, with 244 votes.

Speaking further, the respected pharmacist, noted that out of the available seven slots, the remaining five, which were national vice-chairman; national secretary; national assistant secretary; national treasurer, and national financial secretary, were contested unopposed.

According to him, Pharm. Abosede Idowu, and Pharm. Wuyeb Nankap, the national secretary, and national assistant secretary respectively, were returned unopposed, while Pharm. (Rev.) Dan Ajayi, national vice-chairman; Pharm. Ashore Omokhafe, financial secretary; and Pharm. Ambrose Eze, national treasurer, contested unopposed and were declared winners of the election.

Speaking during his acceptance speech, the newly elected National Chairman, ACPN, Pharm. Samuel Adekola, gave thanks to God for granting him success in the election, however, he appealed to aggrieved members of the association to bury the hatchet, noting that any crack would be detrimental to ACPN and community pharmacy practice in the country.

“As I dedicate this success to all community pharmacists in the country who trusted and believe in my ability to lead this association, I want to say I am truly blessed and humbled by this divine favour, while I especially appreciate my campaign team members, who stood by me through the darkest moments of this exercise, you have remained my pillar of strength. I would not have been able to do this without their untiring support and advice” he said.

The high point of the event was the presentation of certificate and swearing in of the new members of the executive which was conducted by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Frances Ikponmwen, who was represented by Hon. Justice Anthony. N Erhabor, who was assisted by Sen. (Pharm) Mathew Urhoghide, chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account, and Pharm. (Dr) Albert Kelong Alkali, outgoing chairman, ACPN

The 20^th Annual National Scientific Conference of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) is billed to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from 30 July to 3 August 2018.

Themed : ” Viable Drug Revolving Fund for Sustainable Medicines Availability and National Security”, the conference will be graced by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, under the chairmanship of Dr Nelson U.O Uwaga, and the keynote speaker is Pharm.(Mrs) Margaret O.Obono, director pharmacy, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Yahaya Adamu as Medical Director (MD) Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Information on the appointment was in a statement by Olajide Oshundun, the Assistant Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Oshundun stated that Mr Adamu’s four-year term appointment was with effect from May 7, 2018.

He noted that the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, had congratulated Mr Adamu and charged him to work hard to ensure that the hospital continued to provide quality healthcare.

He added that the minister also advised the new medical director to strive to improve on the past achievements and leave his mark on the annals of the institution.

Mr Ehanire further advised Mr Adamu to justify the confidence reposed in him by working with stakeholders to ensure industrial harmony and in support of federal government’s change agenda.

(NAN)

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) recently honoured the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, with a closing Gong ceremony on Friday, 29 June 2018.

The PSN president led a powerful delegation, which comprised the National Executive Committee Members; Representatives of Board of Fellows; Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy Fellows, Executives of Fidson Plc; Healthcare Federation of Nigeria members, and Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Oluyole 2018.

In his welcome address, the NSE Chief Risk Officer, Mr Tunji Kazeem, who received the team on behalf of the CEO, Mr Oscar Onyema, expressed  his interest in collaborating with the PSN on some public health issues,  such as  the drug abuse control and even access to capital for pharmaceutical  businesses.

The PSN president on his part conveyed his desire to work with the Nigerian Stock Exchange. According to him, PSN has established a foundation to improve its corporate social relations, and going forward he requested for the partnership of the NSE in commemorating the annual World Pharmacy Day, coming up on 25 September 2018.

He also expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the great honour conferred on him, being the first president of the PSN to be accorded such unique respect for the first time in 91 years.

It was a momentous gathering of stakeholders in Pharmacy profession and community pharmacists in particular, at the 10th Annual Pharmaceutical Business Seminar of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Ipaja, Dopemu, Egbeda,  Akowonjo  (IDEA) Zone, as business experts, drilled members on ways to become successful professionals and business men.

The event, which was organised by the ACPN, IDEA  Zone and held at the Grand Ovation Event Centre, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos recently,  themed,  “Unlocking Your Financial Box”.

Chairman of the occasion, Pharm. Charles Ajibo, in his welcome address, described the annual business seminar which was the tenth in the series as laudable, saying the theme, “Unlocking Your Financial Box” was not only apt but also timely as community pharmacists in the zone are expected to be freed from all forms of financial restraints, when they diligently apply the rich learning they have acquired from the resource person.

In his lecture titled, “Why Financial Management”?, Pharm. Ajayi  Tolulope  Olugbadebo, a former branch business development manager with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), and chief executive officer, Shekinah Pharmacy Limited, who was one of the speakers noted that investment and managerial decisions are the root of every entrepreneurial success, adding that for business sustainability, financial management provides necessary analytical tools essential for rational investment decisions.

He noted further that the efficient and effective management of resources especially money in order to accomplish the objectives of the organization, involves planning, directing, monitoring, organizing and controlling of the monetary resources of an organization, saying it’s a specialized function directly anchored by top management of organizations.

“By nature and training, Pharmacists are entrepreneurial and committed multipliers of resources. However, more financial details and technicalities will boost their ability to excel at what they do,” he said.

Speaking further, Olugbadebo, stressed that in order to tap into the myriads of benefits of financial analysis, Pharmacies like any other business determined to grow and attain sustainability will do well to imbibe the culture of accurate and detailed reporting of financial activities that can be analyzed into very useful investment decisions.

Speaking in the same vein, the duo of Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, PSN, Lagos State, and Pharm. Benedict Obideyi, chairman, ACPN, Lagos State, urged all community pharmacists in the zone to collectively tackle the challenges facing pharmacy practice in the state and ensure they gain back the trust which the public once reposed in them.

In his own address at the seminar, Pharm. Ismail Kola Sunmonu, zonal coordinator, ACPN, IDEA Zone explained that the main purpose of the programme which had spanned through ten years was organized to help members of the zone grow successful pharmaceutical business, while improving the image of the pharmacy profession at large.

Speaking further, he explained that the need for a paradigm shift to a more practical approach in the delivery of its lectures, which was born out of the desire to see the impact of the lectures in the lives of its members, even in the face of a more challenging economic situation in the country was responsible for the changing of the title of the programme from ‘Pharmaceutical Business Growth Seminar’ to ‘Pharmaceutical Business Seminar and Workshop’.

-As NEPWHAN Eulogises HUGIN, ACPN

No fewer than seventeen pharmacies across the country have bagged the Community Pharmacist Action Centre (COPA) Awards, an initiative instituted to promote professional excellence and quality operations among members and to celebrate some pharmacies, which have attained some level of accreditation of COPA.

The award ceremony held at De Rembrandt Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, saw seventeen pharmacies spread across four states of the federation, including Lagos, with seven awardees; Rivers State, with four pharmacies; Cross River State and Akwa-Ibom State with three pharmacies respectively.

The awardees  decorated  under the category of COPA 1,included Epilson Pharmacy, Lagos; Drug Consult Pharmacy, Lagos; Mebik Pharmacy, Lagos; Silverline Pharmacy, Lagos; Rozec Pharmacy, Lagos; Barata Pharmacy, Rivers; GottGabe Pharmacy, Rivers; Healthspa Pharmacy, Rivers; Wilson Pharmacy, Rivers; Eagle Eye Pharmacy, Cross River; Joe Manuel Pharmacy, Cross River; Remcare Pharmacy, Cross River; Prolimsa Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom; One Stop Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom; Golden Drugs Pharmacy, Akwa-Ibom State; while, Alpha Pharmacy and Victory Drugs Limited, both from Lagos state were awarded under the COPA 3 category.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Dr Dorothy Oqua, country director, Howard University Global Initiative Nigeria (HUGIN), explained that the mandate of HUGIN was to strengthen pharmacists’ capacity and pharmacy systems to provide sustainable and qualitative pharmaceutical care for HIV-infected clients and their families at primary, secondary and tertiary facilities and in communities in Nigeria.

This she stated involves a collaboration with private-for-profit community pharmacists under the platform of the ACPN in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), supported states of Lagos, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking further, she noted that the collaboration is based on a model of differentiated care called Community Pharmacy ARV Refill Programme (CPARP), where stable, willing and able clients are devolved to community pharmacies to receive their Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) refill in a community pharmacy with semi-annual return to the hospital for clinical and laboratory assessment.

According to her, the patients who are stable and willing can now go to the community pharmacies to collect their drugs, which in turn reduce the number of people in the hospital without reducing the quality of care. “The client pays a token to the community pharmacist for the service rendered, but the drugs are free, funded by the US government, and at the end of the day, the client is happy and the community pharmacist is happy, while the hospital is freer. It’s like a win, win situation for all”.

Also speaking, the National Chairman, ACPN, Dr Albert Alkali noted that with the intervention programme of  HUGIN, in cooperation  with ACPN and PCN, Nigeria is definitely on the path of winning the war against HIV/AIDS. “Over the years, the prevalence of the disease has been going down drastically and by 2030 we hope that we will not be having new cases of HIV infection in the country,” he said.

Speaking further, Alkali explained that COPA initiative was designed to reposition community pharmacy as a model to influence surrounding pharmacies to brace up to modern and pharmacy best practices, saying it’s a means of improving patient outcome by ensuring the rational use of medicine in Nigeria.

He noted that HUGIN, in partnership with ACPN and PCN rolled out the COPA initiative as the quality assurance and quality improvement model under the platform of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded, Sustainable Financing Initiative (SFI) of the Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services (SIDHAS) project.

Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator, Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS In Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Mr Victor Omosehin, lauded the organiser of the initiative, HUGIN, in partnership with the community pharmacists for lifting some burden off the patients by offering the service patients would have struggled to get for a token fee of one thousand naira, saying the service is the best compared to what his members incur while patronizing hospitals for drug.

-Oshiomole to Chair Opening Ceremony

Ahead of her forthcoming national conference tagged ‘Edo 2018’, which is scheduled to hold in the ancient city of Benin, Edo State, from Sunday, 1 July to Saturday, 7 July 2018, at the SIO Events Centre, Ikpomwan Road, GRA, Benin, Edo State, the National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr Albert Kelong Alkali, has assured members of a conference with a big difference.

Dr Alkali, made this known at a press briefing in preparation of the conference with the theme “Medicine Abuse in Nigeria: A Call To Action For Community Pharmacists”, held at its secretariat in Lagos recently.

The ACPN leader assured that the conference has been designed in such a way that none of the conference before it would be able to measure up to it, adding that the conference has a number of interesting theme and sub-themes such as; Strategic Leadership in Community Pharmacy; Growing the Basket Size through linked Selling; Making Money, Saving Money and Growing Money, and many others, which would be handled by notable pharmacy professionals who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession.

According to him, the keynote speech will be delivered by Prof. Ray Ozolua, a professor of pharmacology from the University of Benin, adding that the conference will also have in attendance eminent personalities and various stakeholders from all walks of life; including the Comrade Adam Oshiomole, former governor of Edo State and the national chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), who will chaired the opening ceremony; Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who will declare the conference open; Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, president; Pharm. NAE Mohammed, registrar, PCN; Prof Moji Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC, amongst a host of others.

The chairman further assured that adequate security will be provided within and around the venue of the conference, just as he promised that the event will be a rewarding experience for all participants. He added that the conference would be a rewarding experience for corporate participants and exhibitors who will avail themselves of the unique opportunity to showcase and expose their products and services to the teeming audience expected at the conference.

Also speaking at the briefing, the duo of Pharm. Samuel Adekola, national vice-chairman, ACPN, and Pharm. Abosede Idowu, national secretary, disclosed that the Conference Planning Committee (CPC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has been working very hard with the national executive to make the conference a success, noting that the conference would be remembered in the future for great things and a fantastic experience, adding that the conference would produce the new set of leaders who will pilot the affair of the association for the next three years.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday, has destroyed 13 containers of banned and unregistered tramadol, codeine and other counterfeit medicines worth over N 3.5 Billion, during a destruction exercise conducted at the Okediya Dump Site, Sagamu, Ogun State.

Notable among the witnesses of the destruction exercise were: the First Lady of Ogun State, Dr Olufunso Amosu, who was accompanied with her entourage to the dump site; Director General, NAFDAC, Professor Moji Christianah  Adeyeye; Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Olatunde Ipaye; Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Bolaji Oyeleye; Director of Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Bar. Kingsley Ejiofor; Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze; Representatives of NDLEA, the Police Command; and others.

Speaking during the exercise, the NAFDAG DG noted that the destruction of the banned drugs showed NAFDAC’s zero tolerance for the circulation of narcotics, substandard, falsified and other unsafe and unwholesome regulated products into the country.

According to her:”The products being destroyed today are made up of tramadol, codeine, illegally imported unwholesome sugar (different brands) and counterfeit medicines. Also included are damaged and expired NAFDAC regulated products, voluntarily submitted to the Agency by compliant companies.

“The total street value of the products being destroyed is about three billion, five hundred and eight million, five hundred and fifty thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two naira. And street value of tramadol that is being destroyed today is estimated to be N1, 708,750,000”, she stated.

The NAFDAG DG, who called for stiffer penalties for smugglers of regulated drugs into the country, said thirteen containers of banned and unregulated tramadol and diclofenac released to the Agency by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were scheduled for destruction at the site.

“The total street value of the products being destroyed is about three billion, five hundred and eight million, five hundred and fifty thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two naira. And street value of tramadol that is being destroyed today is estimated to be N1, 708,750,000”, she stated.

The NAFDAG DG, who called for stiffer penalties for smugglers of regulated drugs into the country, said thirteen containers of banned and unregulated tramadol and diclofenac released to the Agencyby the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were scheduled for destruction at the site.

Of particular interest, among the drugs to be destroyed, according to the DG, were smuggled substandard Brazillian sugars, rebagged in the name of a popular brand. This was done by a business woman named Mrs Esther Akinsanya, with her company located in Lagos, and she specialised in rebagging of smuggled products. “Her case has been prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Lagos, and the court ordered the destruction of the items”, said the DG.

Prof. Adeyeye, however, expressed her appreciation to the First Lady of Ogun State, NCS, NDLEA, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other staff of the Agency, for their efforts towards the success of the exercise.

Commending the NAFDAC DG and her team for their dedication towards reducing the burden of drug abuse in the country, Dr Amosu said it takes good leadership like that of Prof. Adeyeye to walk her talk, and remain committed to the course of the nation.

While casting a vote of confidence on her, Amosu said she will continue to trust this NAFDAC administration for the best performance. She however mentioned the need for an incinerator for such exercise in the nearest future.

Dr Ipaye on his own appreciated  Prof. Adeyeye for the success achieved by the Agency so far, noting that it was the best form of intervention that is needed at this critical moment in the nation.

While relaying the activities of his ministry to the DG, the Ogun State Health Commissioner said they have been able to close down 280 illegal facilities in the state, in the last two years, and more is still ongoing in the state.

In recognition of their contributions to the profession, the Board of Fellows (BOF) of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has honoured the trio of Euromed Limited, Nett Pharmacy and PharmaTimes with the 2018 BOF Awards of Excellence.

The event which held during the BOF 2018 Annual Meeting & Launching of A 5-Year Campaign Against Drug Abuse at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on 27 June 2018,  had several eminent pharmacists and senior citizens of the profession in attendance.

While describing the recipients as enterprising, Pharm. Chiedu Ojike Mordi, chairman, PSN BOF explained that as a body occupying the top echelon of all the practice areas of Pharmacy, BOF is obligated to pay back to the society that facilitated its ascendancy to the various heights.

“Yearly, the BOF spends millions of naira to reward scholarship in the 19 faculties of Pharmacy in Nigeria and funds research of young pharmacists in pharmaceutical sciences,” he said.

Mordi also lauded Mr Fola Adeola, chairman of Transcorp Hilton Hotel cum chairman of the occasion; Prof. Ezzeldin Abdulrahman, chairman, BOF Committee on Campaign Against Drug Abuse; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, special guest of honour; Prof. Abhulimen Anao, former chancellor, University of Benin for their presence.

Michael J.Porter is a lecturer in Molecular Genetics at the University of Central Lancashire.He insists that by understanding what happens inside our bodies we can learn to control stress and use it to our benefit.

Stress is great. It makes us faster, stronger, more agile and our brains have better recall and flexibility. That’s why people are willing to put themselves in stressful work situations or engage in extreme sports.

The problem is that uncontrolled, stress can leave us frozen to the spot and unable to think – something all too familiar for people having to speak in public or students sitting in the exam hall.

Stress developed because it gives an evolutionary advantage. For early man, and with predators everywhere, food could be scarce and diseases prevalent.

By understanding what is happening inside our bodies and why, we can learn to control stress and use it our advantage.

Your body, when stressed

When you’re feeling stressed, it’s a sign that your body is going into emergency mode. The turbo button is pressed, the engine of your body has roared into overdrive and you become superhuman.

This means becoming ultra vigilant, able to react quickly and increase memory recall, and to remember every aspect of what you are seeing, hearing and feeling.

It is this increased attention to detail that gives us the feeling of time standing still, during a car crash for instance.

Inside the body, a complex cascade of hormones is triggered by the release of a hormone called CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone), by a small part of the brain known as the hypothalamus.

This results in an increase in breathing, blood pressure and heart rate, to help pump blood and oxygen around the body more effectively.

At the same time the liver breaks down more glycogen, a high energy storage substance similar to the starch in plants. It is made in the body by combining glucose (sugar) molecules – and breaking it down again produces the glucose that our bodies actually use for energy.

Blood is moved from other areas of your body to support the muscles – which show increased strength and endurance.

Your immune system switches up a gear and your blood prepares itself to clot – in case you’re injured. Your brain also starts working much better – fed by the glucose and oxygen being pumped around your body.

Like a powerful engine, when we’re stressed we burn hot, but if we do it for too long, we burn out.

In the short term, physiological changes, including increased blood pressure, higher levels of glucose in our blood and decreased appetite, are important adaptations, which normally cause little damage to the body.

But chronic stress can result in a suppressed immune system, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and a range of other conditions.

Our bodies do their best to only use these stress adaptations when they are most needed – maximising the benefit and minimising the potential for damage. But despite this, the body tends towards stress, given its potential advantage in our survival.

Breathing to control stress

One of the simplest things you can do to relieve stress is to breathe – something we all know how to do.

The presence of breathing techniques in both traditional meditation techniques and modern relaxation methods reflects the importance of taking deep breaths.

The immediate impact of doing this can be seen in the reduced production of one of the stress hormones, noradrenaline.

Levels of cortisol, another stress hormone, will also start to reduce.

Research by scientists in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, at Stanford University, have now identified that these changes are linked to a group of nerves in our brains called the ‘pre-Bötzinger complex’, which regulates our breathing.

The scientists found that changes in the expression of certain genes in these nerves – which are physically connected to critical areas in the brain associated with relaxation, attention, excitement and panic – can calm an individual.

The clear implication being that changes in breathing directly affect stress levels.

Modern meditation techniques are epitomised in the concept of mindfulness, which brings together these breathing techniques and the idea of ‘living in the moment’, putting concerns for the past and future into context.

Psychologically, this helps to reduce the level of anticipation associated with unnecessary forward planning and concerns, while physically reducing important stress hormones.

By learning simple coping strategies, understanding what makes us stressed, keeping stress at manageable levels through breathing techniques, and taking regular breaks from it, we can begin to learn to use stress to our advantage, rather than letting it control us.

Daily Mail

June 26 was International Drug Abuse Awareness Day. It was a day of reflection because of the epidemic of drug abuse facing Nigeria today as a nation, especially among our youths.

According to the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, she joined the Senate Roundtable Conference on “Substance Abuse Epidemic In Nigeria”, in Kano, 2017.  Since then, she has had opportunities to speak on the same issue in Kebbi (February 2018), a conference organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (March 2018), etc.

Then, on April 30, a BBC documentary was aired and this jolted the whole nation into an awareness that was not as heightened before that time. The exposure of abuse of codeine implicated many stakeholders including manufacturers, NAFDAC, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health, Parents and the general public.

The abuse of drugs in Nigeria is caused by many factors including love for money by peddlers, disobedience to the laws of the country, proliferation of the market with individuals who sell medicines, lack of control of prescription in the healthcare facilities and lack of control of dispensing among dispensers. Other reasons for abuse of drugs include smuggling substances of abuse through our porous seaports and land borders, corruption and compromises at the point of entries, diversion of legitimate exports to illicit use, weakness in inspections and weak penalties for the sellers and traffickers.

There are many social factors that have resulted in abuse of drugs. These include decline of family value systems, parents not playing their roles properly, children and youth therefore not receiving proper guidance, peer pressure, social media influence, poverty and unemployment.

The most commonly abused drugs in the country are tramadol and codeine. Tramadol is a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain and is the most abused medicine among addicts. It has no effects on the respiratory system but overdose causes arrhythmias, cramps, coma and death.

In Nigeria, it is regulated as the 50 and 100mg dosage strengths but very high dosage forms of 200 and 225mg have infiltrated the market. There is also noticeable increase in smuggling of Tramadol capsules. Tramadol use disorder is associated with physical withdrawal symptoms and compulsive behaviour.

In order to address the public health, and social problems resulting from abuse of drugs, the three arms of government – the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Health, health, educational and religious institutions, parents must address the issues with vigour and holistically through these approaches:

• Collaboration among strategic agencies (Nigeria Custom Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and NAFDAC) responsible for importation and regulation of controlled medicines and/or prevent the importation, distribution and use of illicit drugs .
• Heightened regulatory alertness, diligence and control of importation of drugs and food, now that NAFDAC has been returned back to our ports and borders
• The Federal Ministry of Health should develop National Prescription Policy
• Enforcement of the prescription policy by the Federal Ministry of Health
• Advocacy, and public awareness campaign through the print, social and electronic media should be carried out. Ministry of information and agencies directly responsible for the end users and consumers such as the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), NAFDAC, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), etc should play active role in these. Additional funding of these should be provided by the government
• Stricter issuance of permits and registration of controlled medicines by NAFDAC
• Greater collaboration through use of task forces among regulatory bodies responsible for drugs and controlled substances – NDLEA,NAFDAC and PCN
• Extra-territorial enforcement to identify, disrupt and dismantle organised criminal groups operating across borders.
• Review of the drug laws to enable the judiciary apply penalties that are commensurate to the offences.
• Provision of more rehabiliation centers and workers to assist those that are addicted to  controlled drugs
• Provision of educational and employment opportunities to the youth

NAFDAC