It was awards season at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 19th Annual National Scientific Conference of Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in the Academia (NAPA) as well-deserving pharmacists were honoured with excellence awards.
Top among award recipients at the NAPA conference, holding at the Princess Alexandria Auditorium, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Enugu State, are Pharm. IG Anukwu, decorated with NAPA Man of the Year Award; Dr Kingsley Amibor, Professional Excellence Award: Hospital Pharmacy; Pharm. NAE Mohammed, PhD, Professional Excellence Award: Administrative Pharmacy; Dr Margaret Ilomuanya, Professional Excellence Award in Academia; and Pharm Mohammed Hussain, (H-Medix) Professional Excellence Award: Community Practice.
According to the National Chairman of NAPA, Professor Emmanuel Ibezim, the award recipients have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of Pharmacy, and they deserve the recognitions, as they have made Pharmacy proud over the years in providing cutting-edge pharmaceutical services to patients and Nigerian citizens at large.
He urged upcoming pharmacists to emulate their good examples and resist the mad rush for gratification before service, saying honour and wealth will definitely come after qualitative services have been delivered where and when needed.
The awardees in turn appreciated NAPA for the honour, noting that it is a motivation to go the extra mile in pharmaceutical service delivery to the nation.
The Immediate Past National Chairman of Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN), expressed his profound gratitude to NAPA for the recognition, saying he considers it a great honour to be in the midst of the creme de la creme of Pharmacy profession in Nigeria to be conferred with such honour.
He narrated his journey to the seat of leadership of AHAPN, how he envisioned a new brand of association with an 8-Point Agenda to rebrand the group, and he is delighted to see the vision materialising as traditional dispensing, which was the order of the day then, is now giving way to pharmaceutical care.
“We promised to rebrand and reposition hospital pharmacy practice and immediately put in place an 8- Point Agenda to assist us in realising our objectives. After victory at the polls, we set up at least 8 committees for the association, with each charged with overseeing each of the 8 Point Agenda. Realising the immense knowledge base and huge intellectual capacity of pharmacists in academia, we decided to collaborate with NAPA members and succeeded in co-opting them into our various committees.
“True to expectation, they all delivered. AHAPN will forever be indebted to NAPA and in particular, Prof Emma Ibezim; Prof. Martins Emeje; Prof. Azuka Oparah; Prof Chinwe Ukwe; Prof. Wilson Erhun; Prof. Noel Wannang and Dr. Dauda Dangiwa. Not left out is Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba FPCPharm, Dr Chukwuemeka Ubaka; Dr Abdulmuminu Isah, the list is endless”, Amibor explained.
The keynote speaker, who is also the Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu- Abia State, Professor Gregory Ibeh in his address reiterated that research institutes and college of pharmacies have big roles to play in advancing the nation’s pharma sector.
The Chancellor, who was ably represented by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Augustine A. Uwakwe lamented that there are many challenges facing the pharma sector which are still begging for attention. He charged pharmacists to take the bull by the horn and be at the forefront to provide solution to the challenges.
