To further bring cutting edge and innovative solutions closer to its clientele, Alpha Pharmacy, has officially unveiled its corporate head office on Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos.
Tagged ‘Grace & Glory Place,’ the imposing building is a beauty to watch from the busy traffic and environs.
Speaking during the colourful opening ceremony which also coincided with the company’s 33th anniversary on 13 December 2018, Pharm. Ike Onyechi, managing director of Alpha Pharmacy expressed gratitude to God for making the event possible.
L-R: Uju Ifejika, oil magnate; Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman of the occasion; his wife, Julia; Pharm. Ike Onyechi, managing director, Alpha Pharmacy; his wife, Chinelo; Pharm. (Dr) Margaret Ebigwei-Ibru, founder, ST&T Regency International Schools; Olorogun Goody Ibru, former chairman, Ikeja Hotels; Pharm. Bukky George, managing director, HealthPlus Limited and Pharm. Lere Baale, managing director, Business School Netherlands (BSN) at the cake cutting session.
“We named the corporate headquarters ‘Grace & Glory Place’ to give honour to whom it is due. We recognise that over the 33 years of our existence, there have been many big names in the pharma industry that have come and gone.
“We too would have been consumed, if not for the Grace of God. We therefore find it gratuitous that we have had a number of achievements that we cannot claim to be entirely due to our own efforts,” he stressed.
Reminiscing the journey so far, Onyechi explained that Alpha Pharmacy’s specialization in rare medications has its origin in Nigerian Hoechst Limited, where he began his career. Subsequently, it expanded into a phenomenal coincidence of demand and supply.
Frontal view of Alpha Pharmacy’s new corporate headquarters
According to the Alpha boss, he discovered that many of the places he wished to supply were serviced by more seasoned pharmacists. As a small retailer still trying to find its feet in the big league, the pharmacist disclosed that he was unable to find any consistent customer, especially amongst the large medical institutions and organisations. Not until he decided to reach out to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell Clinic and a few others with a proposition to provide what their regular suppliers could not offer.
“I believed that I would be able to get those products through my access to suppliers in Germany and Belgium, courtesy of my ex-employers at Hoechst (now NGC).
“By travelling to Germany via England, I was able to add other suppliers, some of whom we still work with to date. That was the source of the spark that became the mission and vision of Alpha Pharmacy – Find what others were not willing to do and do it with passion,” he said.
Onyechi also conceded that there were occasions when incidental requests for unfamiliar and seemingly trivial medicines have found their way to his desk which later led to his spectacular success.
The high point of the event witnessed the official tape-cutting ceremony, cake-cutting session and official unveiling of the company’s newest supplements, ‘Now Foods.’
In attendance were Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman of the occasion; Pharm. (Dr) Margaret Ebigwei-Ibru, founder, ST&T Regency International Schools; Pharm. Ngozi Onuorah, director Chemical Evaluation and Research Directorate (CER), National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC); Pharm. Bukky George, managing director, HealthPlus Limited and Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, managing director, New Height Pharmacy.
Others were Pharm. Lere Baale, managing director, Business School Netherlands (BSN); Femi Soremekun, managing director, Biofem Pharmaceuticals; Olorogun Goody Ibru, former chairman, Ikeja Hotels and Fola Aguda, district coordinator, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), Lagos Chapter.
As nations around the globe celebrate International Migrants Day on 18 December 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a technical guidance series on the health of refugees and migrants, in collaboration with the European Commission.
According to WHO’s release, each publication addresses a specific aspect of the health of refugees and migrants by providing tools, case studies and evidence to inform practices and policies to improve their health.
The situation in one of the IDPs’ Camp
The Health Guidance series has five publications available presently, each with a special focus on one of the following:
Children’s health;
Health promotion;
Healthy ageing;
Maternal and newborn health; and
Mental health.
Commemorating the International Migrants Day in Nigeria, citizens have called on the government to latch on this noble initiative to better the lot of over 2 million Nigerians living in the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) Camps across the country.
Available statistics revealed that there are IDP Camps in Lagos, Borno and Abuja, but the biggest are the camps in Maiduguri, located at : Arabic Teachers College (9,880 IDPs), Teachers Village (6,500 IDPs), National Youth Service Scheme Camp (6,611 IDPs) and Gubio (4,500 IDPs).
In the words Mallam Shehu Mohammed, a trader in Lagos, “If our government can discuss with other health institutions like WHO, UNICEF, others, on the health and welfare of these IDPs, I think things will not remain the same with them”.
Also Ayoola Kolade, a student residing in Lagos, urged the government to improve on its present allocations to the IDPs, while special monitoring of the funds and resources is key, as there are feelers about some unscrupulous agents diverting the meagre the resources given to the IDP Camps.
The Health Guidance for migrants and refugees reads in part:
Health of refugee and migrant children
When considering health and healthcare interventions for migrant children, areas that need specific attention include their diverse backgrounds, whether they are unaccompanied and separated from family, whether they have been trafficked, and whether they have been left behind.
This technical guidance presents policy considerations for promoting refugee and migrant children’s health and well-being, and particularly their mental health. It includes an intersectoral approach that targets risk factors at the individual, family and community levels. It emphasizes the important role of national/local governments in fostering or hindering equitable living conditions for refugee and migrant children in the areas of housing, health-care services and education.
Health promotion for improved refugee and migrant health
This technical guidance outlines current best practices, evidence and knowledge to inform policy and programme development in the area of health promotion for refugees and migrants in the WHO European Region. It highlights key principles, summarizes priority actions and challenges, maps available resources and tools, and provides policy considerations and practical recommendations to improve health promotion activities.
Health of older refugees and migrants
Population ageing caused by consistently low birth rates and increased life expectancy is a major current trend across Europe. This technical guidance aims to inform the development of policies and practices related to improving the health of older refugees and migrants.
Both ageing and migration are in themselves complex, multidimensional processes shaped by a range of factors over the life-course of the individual. Responding to the needs of older refugees and migrants, therefore, must be integrated into all dimensions of policies and practices related to ageing.
Improving the healthcare of pregnant refugee and migrant women and newborn children
Being a migrant can be considered a risk factor for poorer maternal and newborn health outcomes. This technical guidance identifies problems and entry points for interventions for maternal and newborn health among refugees and migrants in the Region.
Mental health promotion and mental healthcare in refugees and migrants
The complexity and stress of migration are related to events before departure, during travel and transit, and after arrival. Consequently, refugees and migrants can suffer from mental disorders, although prevalence is highly variable across studies and population groups.
This technical guidance reviews the prevalence of some disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive and anxiety disorders. Based on the best available evidence regarding risk factors and areas for intervention, it identifies 8 priority action areas for consideration by policy-makers regarding the mental health of refugees and migrants.
Ranbaxy Nigeria – a Sun Pharma Company- has recently presented its new antimalarial to pharmacists in Nigeria.
Dr Ifeanyi Offor, senior brand manager of the company, presented the product to the gathering of over 4000 pharmacists shortly before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the 91st Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on 2 November.
Dr Ifeanyi Offor
Offor explained that the product would help address the increasing incidence of multi-drug resistant plasmodium falciparum, especially the emergence of artemisinin-resistant plasmodium parasites and increasing cases of malarial recrudescence after treatment.
Synriam antimalarial, Dr Offor stated, is a fixed dose combination of arterolane maleate 150mg, combined with piperaquine phosphate 750 mg, adding that the product had been specially produced to ensure better patient compliance over the conventional artemisinin combination therapies.
He disclosed that the product is a once-daily medicine for a three-day treatment and can be taken any time of the day, noting that the antimalarial is available in all leading retail pharmacies nationwide.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that sensitising herbal and traditional medicine practitioners on best practices would make the trade earn foreign exchange for the country.
Mr Anikoh Ibrahim, NAFDAC coordinator in Niger, while speaking at the weekend with pressmen said that clear-cut policies must be enacted for herbal and traditional medicine practitioners to adhere to international best practices in their trade.
NAFDAC Logo
“Right now NAFDAC is collaborating with herbal and traditional medicine practitioners in Niger state to achieve the standardisation of herbal medicine products through workshops for the practitioners.
“The workshops will provide government with ideas to come up with policies that will bring our herbal and traditional medicines practices to better acceptance in international commerce as an alternative foreign exchange earner for the nation,’’ he said.
Mr Ibrahim also noted that the agency has certified some of these herbal and traditional medicines brought for clinical trials, while many others were yet to get the mark of Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) owing to the lukewarm attitude of the practitioners.
The coordinator said that the recent global increase in the use and acceptance of herbal and traditional medicines has raised a lot of issues.
“The fact that herbal medicines have a long history of use in many cultures in the world has given credence to the massive acceptance of various formulations and diverse presentations,’’ he said.
According to Ibrahim: “recent World Health Organisation survey reveals that over 70 per cent of the world’s population depends on herbal or traditional medicine’’.
He stressed the need to investigate and understand what constitutes herbal medicine, its relevance in Nigeria and the agency’s role in its regulation.
The coordinator explained that prior to the advent of orthodox medicine in the country; lack of written records of formula, methods and practices of traditional medicine has set back its development.
He said this was in spite of the potential benefits inherent in its application especially in the area of primary healthcare delivery.
He said that several concerns on the safety status of herbal and traditional medicine have emanated over the years making the federal government to intervene by enacting various legislations to control its manufacture, advertisement, sale and use.
“The Federal Ministry of Health in 1994 mandated all states of the federation to establish Boards of Traditional Medicines in order to enhance the development of herbal and traditional medicine practices and facilitate its contribution to the National Health System,’’ he said.
Mr Ibrahim noted that the regulation of these products was primarily focused on the label claims on finished products instead of clinical trials for its efficacy.
“The development of herbal and traditional medicine is encumbered by numerous challenges such as the absence of good national policies in the country.
“It also included safety, effectiveness and quality, international diversity of traditional medicine practices, spurious and unsubstantiated labelling and advertisement claims by practitioners on their products,’’ he said.
The Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) Lagos State branch has elected new executives to take over the leadership mantle of the association for the next three years.
The election of the new executives, conducted on 13 December 2018, had all the positions contested for unopposed, except that of the treasurer. The occasion also witnessed the launching of the maiden edition of the Lagos AHAPN Bulletin.
Outgoing executives of the association, displaying the newly launched AHAPN Bulletin.
Names of the new Lagos State AHAPN Executives are: Pharm. Titilayo Onedo, chairperson; Pharm. O.S. Ojuoko, vice chairman; Pharm. T.O. Ajibola, secretary; Pharm. T.A. Asen, assistant secretary; Pharm. Temitope Akinboro, treasurer; Pharm. Kehinde Oyinlade, financial secretary; Pharm. CTA Ugwu, publicity secretary; Pharm. Zainab Alabi, welfare officer; Pharm. C.N. Mbanugo, un-official member; K.K. Ekwunife, un-official member; and Pharm. (Mrs) Folashade Kotun, immediate past chairman.
Speaking with the newly elected Chairperson of the association, Pharm. (Mrs) Titilayo Onedo, she expressed her heartfelt gratitude to God and to all members of the association, for the opportunity to serve. She explained that she and her team are ready to work with all members for the progress of the group.
Newly elected executives of the association, after the handover ceremony.
Asked about her disposition towards to the appointment, she said :” I actually feel excited about the appointment, at the same time , I feel challenged being appointed as the chairman of this our association, because I know the position requires a lot of work.
“However, I and my team are equally ready to take up the challenges. And more so, members of the association have given us their words to be committed to the objectives of the association to work with us”.
She continued: “The election as it were was a victory for our association, because we have the backing of all members of the group. We are going to be collaborating more, even with industrial pharmacists, we are going to liaise on how to resolve issues with the medics, and how to tackle the myriads of challenges facing the association.
“We are going to focus on capacity building, and this needs funding, although the commitment is there, and I know that the industry is willing to partner with associations like ours, but funding is key”, she asserted.
On her own part, the outgoing Chairperson of the association, Pharm. (Mrs) Folashade Kotun, expressed her joy in having a competent successor, and a strong team to work, explaining her confidence in the new executives to deliver the needed progress for the association.
“I am confident that starting from January 2019, when I look back at this association, I will be filled with joy because I know they will perform their duties very well”, she assured.
Speaking on the challenges encountered during her tenure, she said the major one was getting pharmacists both in hospitals and administrative settings to be actively involved with the association. So to resolve this, she said they embarked on a massive campaign to bring about a new orientation.
She however urged the new excos to continue from where she stopped by intensifying efforts to reach out to pharmacists in the private sector and also encourage more active participation from those in the industry.
The leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) recently submitted a memorandum on a Bill for an Act to provide legal framework to establish all Federal Medical Centres (hb. 1390 – hb. 1410).
The document dated 30 November, 2018, and addressed to the chairman, House Committee on Health Institutions, was duely signed by the PSN President, Pharm. (Mazi) Sam I. Ohuabunwa; and National Secretary, Pharm. (Chief) Emeka Duru.
Pharm. (Mazi) Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa
Below is the full text of the memorandum:
Dear Sir,
MEMORANDUM ON A BILL FOR AN ACT TO PROVIDE LEGAL FRAMEWORK TO ESTABLISH ALL FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRES (HB. 1390 – HB. 1410):
BACKGROUND
In response to your call for memorandum on the above subject matter as placed on Punch Newspapers of Tuesday, 27th November, 2018, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), an umbrella body of Pharmacists in Nigeria, finds it necessary to make its submission as paraphrased hereafter.
At the launch of the PRESCRIPTION LEGEND in the United States of America (USA) in 1962, President John F. Kennedy described the Pharmacist in the following words: “The Pharmacist is an indispensible link in the chain of National Health Protection and Promotion. If we do not have the Pharmacist, it would have been necessary to invent him.” In 1989, Dr Hiroshima Nakajima, former Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed the indispensability concept of the Pharmacist and also underscored the importance of Pharmacy in the provision of healthcare when he said “Without drugs, a health service has no substance and credibility”.
It is also common knowledge that in some native Nigerian languages, a hospital is literarily translated in English Language to be “home of medicines”. The simple reason for this is because the use of medicines is key to the provision of healthcare to patients. The above fact underscores the importance and relevance of the Pharmacist in the health system.
Hence, the Society reasons that the bill, which seeks to confer legal identity to Federal Medical Centres is a good attempt to strengthen the health system and boost healthcare delivery to Nigerians given that the passage of the bill would provide the legal framework for the Medical Centres to function more effectively.
However, despite the noble intendment of the bill, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has identified several omissions of some salient provisions in the bill and some provisions which would affect service rendition in the institutions and hereby strongly canvass their incorporation and redress in the bill respectively as reflected thus:
1) Membership of the Board of Management: The need for inclusion of the Director of Pharmaceutical Services
2) Appointment of Directors and other staff of the Medical Centres: Appointment of Director of Pharmaceutical Services and the Establishment of a Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services.
3) Fund of the Medical Centre: Establishment and maintenance of a Drug Revolving Fund (DRF).
JUSTIFICATION
MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT: THE NEED FOR INCLUSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES:
It is pertinent to make reference to section 3 (1) of the bill, which deals with the membership of the board of management of the medical centre. Since the sale and use of medicines play a central role in the provision of healthcare to patients and the sustenance of the medical centre by reason of its revenue generating potentials, the inclusion of the Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the composition of the board of management of the Medical Centre is quite appropriate to amongst other things advice and guide the board on policy matters relating to Pharmaceutical Services as they affect the administration of the hospital and also the overall management of the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS). This has become desirable in order to maintain the continued growth of the DRF and ensure the sustainability of the DRFS as a revenue generating scheme. In this regard, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria seeks the introduction of section 3(1)(o) in the bill to read thus; “The Board shall consist of (o) The Director of Pharmaceutical Services.” This will be in line with the scheme of the Pharmacists Cadre.
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS AND OTHER STAFF OF THE MEDICAL CENTRES: APPOINTMENT OF A DIRECTOR OF PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIRECTORATE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES.
In consideration of the reasons earlier canvassed in this memo, it is desirable that provisions are made in the bill for the appointment of a Director of Pharmaceutical Services in Federal Medical Centres and the Directorate carters for the provision of Pharmaceutical Care and services. The imperatives of positioning the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS) to operate and be run as a business model in the directorate and the evolved and expanded roles of the Pharmacist as Caregivers has necessitated the creation of a Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria is strongly of the view that the bill should make provisions for the Directorate, headed by a Director, who assumes responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS). In this wise, the Society seeks the introduction and reflection of section 10(1)(e) in the bill to read thus; “The Board shall appoint for the Medical Centre (e) a Director of Pharmaceutical Services.”
Consequently thereof, subsection 2 of section 10 of the bill would be amended to read thus;“The Directors appointed under paragraphs (b), (c) (d) and (e) of subsection (1) of this section shall each be responsible to the Chief Medical Director for effective running of clinical services, the finance and accounts, the co-ordination of maintenance and Pharmaceutical Services and the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme of the Medical Centre, as the case may be.”
3) FUND OF THE MEDICAL CENTRE: ESTABLISHMENT OF A DRUG REVOLVING FUND (DRF)
There is a need to make provisions in the bill for the establishment of a Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) in the Medical Centre so as to legally strengthen the operations of the already existing Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS) in the hospital. The DRF is a special intervention fund set aside for the procurement and provision of essential medicines to guarantee the continuous and uninterrupted supply and availability of essential medicines in hospitals and also eliminate the prevalence of out-of-stock syndrome. The fund is set aside as a pool of fund to drive the operation of the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS), a scheme designed to guarantee the provision of essential medicines needed for preventing and curing diseases and ailments suffered by Nigerians by collecting sufficient funds through charges to patients for drugs consumed to cover full replacement cost of new drugs as well as losses through deterioration and to ensure uninterrupted supply of drugs in the healthcare system.
Also, given the fact that the DRFS remains the most viable source of internally generated revenue (IGR) in the Medical Centre, the need to strengthen its operations through an Act of Parliament remains germane. To this end, the Society seeks an amendment to section 13 of the bill to make room for subsections (1) and (2) and provide for the establishment and maintenance of a Drug Revolving Fund for the Medical Centre. Accordingly, section 13(2) of the bill shall read thus; There shall be established and maintained for the Medical Centre a Drug Revolving Fund into which shall be paid and credited:
(a) all fees and funds from the sale of drugs, medical devices and consumables in the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme
(b) all funds from sale of drugs donated to the hospital by Pharmaceutical Companies, Federal Ministry of Health, Non Governmental Organizations or Donor Agencies.
(c) The fund shall be used to drive the operation of a Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS) to ensure the continuous and uninterrupted supply and availability of essential medicines, medical devices and consumables.
(d) There shall be for each Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS) a Project Manager, who shall be the Head/Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Federal Medical Centre.
(e) The project manager shall be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme (DRFS), but shall be answerable to the Medical Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Medical Centre.
(f) The Drug Revolving Fund Scheme shall be efficiently managed as a business model so as to serve as a source of internally generated revenue for the Medical Centre.
PRAYER
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria respectfully solicits the House of Representatives to make amendments in the bill in the area of the following:
1) Membership of the Board of Management; The need for the Inclusion of the Director of Pharmaceutical Services
2) Appointment of Directors and other staff of the Medical Centres; Appointment of Director of Pharmaceutical Services and the Establishment of a Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services.
3) Fund of the Medical Centre; Establishment and maintenance of a Drug Revolving Fund (DRF).
The above provisions have been canvassed in this memo to make room for a statute that protects the interests of stakeholders in healthcare and ultimately serves the interest of patients. In the light of this, we entreat your Committee to effect the incorporation of the above provisions in the proposed Act in the interest of consumers of healthcare in Nigeria.
Yours faithfully,
For: Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.
Pharm. (Mazi) Sam I. Ohuabunwa, OFR,MON, FPSN,FNAPHARM, FPCPHARM,NPOM.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has called on Nigerians to adopt environmental sanitation towards prevention of infectious diseases in their domains.
The Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
Mr Ihekweazu said that most factors leading to the transmission of communicable diseases could be prevented through hand washing, keeping a clean environment, boiling water before drinking and avoiding open defecation.
He, however, added that the most effective preventive measure in public health was vaccination.
NCNC Banner
“We can protect ourselves by ensuring our environment is kept clean always, washing our hands regularly, avoid open defecation, ensure food is well cooked and stored, boil water before drinking and avoid self- medication.
“There are effective vaccines for diseases like measles, meningitis, yellow fever, typhoid fever etc.
“These vaccines are available as part of the routine immunisation schedule in the country and are freely available at primary health care centres,” he said.
Mr Ihekweazu said that NCDC would continue to support state governments and stakeholder in the health sector to prepare for response to disease outbreaks.
”Recently, we have begun a state public health Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) project; supporting states in developing these coordination platforms.
”As at the end of November 2018, we have established EOCs in ten states and conducted incident management training in these states.
”We continue to strengthen our diagnostic capacity. The National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, coordinates other public health laboratories within our network to ensure timely diagnosis of pathogens causing outbreaks.
”We have an active engagement with the public, through the media and social media channels. Our website has key messages on disease prevention, outbreak information, guidelines etc.
”The Government of Nigeria has prioritised health security and this is evident in the support to NCDC and other agencies,” he said.
He said that during outbreaks, NCDC usually worked with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to plan and implement reactive vaccination campaigns for specific diseases.
He also stressed the importance of avoiding self-medication and the need for Nigerians to attend health care centres for testing, especially before treating fevers.
”It is very important to present early to a health centre, as this increases the chances of survival,’’ he said.
He said that the NCDC had a National Reference Laboratory in Abuja coordinating the diagnosis of epidemic-prone diseases.
”We also have a campus in Lagos- Central Public Health Laboratory, Yaba.
”Together with our network of laboratories in states, we have the capacity to diagnose epidemic-prone diseases in Nigeria like monkeypox, Lassa fever, cholera, cerebrospinal meningitis, measles and yellow fever.
”Within the public health laboratory system, we are currently developing the capacity for genomic sequencing, a laboratory method that will provide better understanding on the viruses or bacteria in circulation.
”We have recently begun a national sample transportation system, to effectively transport samples from (the) state capital to the national reference laboratory or laboratories within the network,” he added.
As a means of ending the year in a celebration mode, the Lagos State branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) held its last General Meeting for the year 2018 and End of Year Party in a colourful way, with lots of winning and dining, on 12 December, 2018, at the Pharmacy House, Ogudu, Lagos.
The memorable occasion, graced by a great number of members, who filled the hall to capacity, had the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as a special guest of honour in attendance.
Appreciating the members for their support and dedication to the association all year round, the Chairman, Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran urged them on the need to practice by the ethics of the profession, which will always keep them on the right track.
L-R: Pharm. A. U Ekwere, vice chairman, Lagos State PSN; Lagos State APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Pharm.(Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, Lagos PSN, and Pharm.Babayemi Oyekunle, secretary, Lagos PSN, at the occasion.
She stated : “My word for the members is that they should be determined to practice ethically, work according to the law, so that they won’t be harassed and will be able to impact the populace, that we are serving and it shall be well with all of us”.
Adeniran further expressed her profound gratitude to the Almighty God, for sparing their lives and for the divine enablement to achieve the goals of the state branch in the outgoing year. Highlighting their major activities for the year, she started mentioning from the annual lunch earlier held in the year with fantastic attendance, the completion of the Pharmacy House, payments of the annual dues, “and that is why you can see the improvement in the structure .The pharmacy House is putting on a new look and I can I assure you that this is just the beginning”.
On his own part, the state branch’s PRO Pharm. Kola Sumonu urged governments to put in place favourable legislations for the benefits of all professional bodies in the coming year. He decried the present situation with policy summersaulting, which shows inefficiency on the part of government.
According to him: “The importation policy at the ports is not encouraging because of the dues and levies you are to pay. The inconsistency of government’s policy is not helping in that area as well. The way forward is for government to focus on the petro-chemical industry here, because some of the raw materials we are importing here can be sorted locally, but because the petro-chemical industry is not developed, it is a big loss to the pharma industry and when things continue in this manner, there may not be an head way”.
Cross section of members at the occasion.
Addressing the pharmacists at the occasion, Mr Sanwo-Olu thanked them for the opportunity given to him to appear in their midst, saying he was ready to work the state branch for the development of the profession in the state.
Notable among several promises he made to the Lagos pharmacists was the inclusion of a Pharmacy Faculty in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the absence of which he described as an omission, since the establishment of the institution.
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Unilever Nigeria PLC to reach over five million Nigerian children to improve their Oral Health Education by year 2020.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole , represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdulaziz M. Abdullahi made this known during the press briefing to commemorate the 2018 Oral Health week, with the theme “Strengthening and Fostering Collaborations to improve the Oral Health of Nigerians”, recently, in Abuja.
Some Nigerian children
Prof. Adewole noted that the ministry had earlier signed an MOU with Unilever Nigeria during the 2016 National Oral Health week.
He further said that “Since 2016 till date, about 4.5 million Nigerian school children have been reached on Oral Health Education and Oral Health Behavioural change programmes in Abia, Lagos, Rivers, Ondo, Delta and Enugu States.
“Today, the MOU would be renewed to reach out to other school children in more States of the Federation,’’ he added.
Prof. Adewole informed that the Dentistry Division in collaboration with the Non-Communicable Diseases Division would incorporate an Oral Health component into the National Steps Survey on Non-Communicable Diseases.
He pointed out that the survey was aimed at getting a more recent National Data on Oral Diseases in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, FMoH, Mr Abdulaziz M. Abduallahi, represented by the Director, Hospital Services, FMoH, Dr Joseph Amedu, said that the National Oral Health Week was celebrated annually as institutionalized in the National Oral Health Policy as one of the veritable strategies to promote and raise awareness on Oral health nationwide.
In his remarks, the Regional Sales Director, Unilever Nigeria, Mr. David Ebah, said that from the inception of the partnership, the company had reached five million children.
He further added that the children were from over 5000 public and private schools in 19 states of the federation.
“We are determined to reach other five million children to improve their lives by 2020.
“This is part of our global oral care Social Mission Agenda which is to improve the oral health of 100 million people by 2020.”
Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and other eminent pharmacists, including Gbenga Falabi, immediate past national chairman, National Association of Industrial Pharmacists (NAIP); and Pharm. Moses Oluwalade, managing director, Miraflash Nigeria Limited, have urged pharmacy students across the country to imbibe leadership ideals and skills in the course of undergoing their programme and after graduation.
Dr Lolu Ojo, presenting an award plaque to Pharm. Gbenga Falabi, for a well presented keynote address, in the presence of some national executive members of PANS.
Speaking at the 43rd Annual National Convention of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), held at the New Auditorium, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, the PSN president advised the students who thronged the venue that familiarising themselves with leadership principles and practice, in addition to their academic pursuit, would distinguish them in the course of their studies and later in the workplace.
Yakasai further counselled them to disregard the lure of social vices, as well as insubordination to constituted authority.
Also speaking, the managing director of Miraflash, Pharm. Oluwalade, urged the students to embrace diligence, which, he said, is the pathway to success.
According to him, leadership skills are essential in guiding executives to make thoughtful decisions about their organisations’ missions and goals, as well as in properly allocating resources to achieve set objectives.
While describing the theme of the programme, “Sowing the Seeds of Professional Impact: Working to Transcend the Generations of Pharmacists to Come”, as apt and timely, the Miraflash boss, noted that essential leadership traits to imbibe include honesty, confidence, commitment, and creativity.
“As pharmacists, you are practising one of the foremost professions in the world; so, I am urging you today to raise your head and avoid intimidation that may come from any quarter as you are not supposed to be a second class citizen as far as the healthcare family is concerned. I also want to urge you to be proactive, plan ahead, be courageous, be flexible and don’t do things haphazardly,” he advised
In his keynote address, Pharm. Gbenga Falabi, attributed his success in pharmacy practice to diligence and discipline, adding that in addressing the theme of the programme, it was necessary to review the seeds planted yesterday and the impact they had made.
Falabi, however, noted that some of the major challenges facing the practice today include in-house rivalry and identity crisis, adding that pharmacists today now fight for recognition.
The highpoints of the event were the launch of Pharmedia magazine, an annual journal of PANS by some of the invited guests, and the presentation of award plaques to the dignitaries present.
The national convention, which is an annual event of the national secretariat of PANS, which currently has its secretariat at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Sagamu Campus, had in attendance 14 schools of pharmacy across the country, including the host, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU); University of Uyo; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Delta State University; University of Ilorin, Kwara State; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State; University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Kogi State University; University of Maiduguri; University of Port Harcourt; and Niger Delta University.
In patients with stage III (Duke’s C) colon cancer, the choice of adjuvant chemotherapy should take into account? which of the responses is (are) correct?
Poised to encourage innovation and active involvement of young pharmacists in public healthcare and community health/social development, Pharmanews Ltd., has decided to honour whoever emerges the Pharmanews Young Pharmacist of the Year, with an award of recognition.
After a careful selection process, five candidates were shortlisted, based on the number of their nominations. They are: Ezedei Obinna Benson (WelfarePharma Ng); Timothy Okooboh (Health Hub Blog); Onimisi Peter (IQVIA); Isah Muhammad (Medinomic Healthcare Ltd); Sesan Kareem (Achievers Forum).
We hereby call for your vote for the young pharmacist who has impacted his community significantly, based on public healthcare delivery and community development activities.
Please note that voting commences on Friday 14 December 2018 and closes on 7 January, 2019.
The Gombe State Government has confirmed the death of four Lassa fever patients out of the 53 suspected cases recorded in the state.
Nuhu Bille, acting State Epidemiologist, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.
“This year, we recorded 53 suspected cases of Lassa fever and out of them we have four confirmed cases and the four of them died at the isolated centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital while receiving treatment,’’ he said.
He advised members of the public to imbibe the culture of reporting cases of fever to hospitals for adequate action and treatment.
“November to March 2019 is a period we expect the outbreak of Lassa fever, the most important thing in managing the case is early detection.
“When you detect it on time 75 per cent of chances of survival are there, so people should report to the hospitals on time before it will be too late because it is free of charge.
“If you have symptoms of fever, cough and catarrh that refuse to go with our conventional drugs within two days, you should report to the hospital,” he advised.
Mr Bille said there were enough drugs for the treatment of the disease that would last for five years, hence the need for people to report on time.
He further said seven cases of cholera outbreak were also recorded within the period under review.
Mr Bille said over 546 people were treated while 18 victims died of the disease.
He said the outbreak was recorded in Balanga, Funakaye, Gombe and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas of the state.
The epidemiologist commended the state epidemic preparedness and response committee for addressing such cases.
Stakeholders and scholars in the pharmaceutical industry, including Prof. Bolajoko Aina, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos (UNILAG); Prof. (Mrs) Cecilia Igwilo, a distinguished professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, UNILAG; Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN); Pharm. Samuel Adekola, national chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), and others have advised community pharmacists in the country to see the changing healthcare landscape as an opportunity to expand their businesses.
Ohuabunwa and others made their submissions at the recently held Continuing Education Conference organised by the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos State Branch, at NECA House, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.
L-R :Prof. Cecilia Igwilo, chairman of the occasion; Prof. Bolajoko Aina, keynote speaker; and Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, chairman, ACPN, Lagos State, at this year Continuing Education Conference.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Bolajoko Aina, stated that the opportunity is not only meant to expand their businesses, but to also practice at the top of their licences such that they provide quality services, delivering care that is improving the lives of patients, and reducing the overall total cost of care. “So, there is opportunity to make real practice change in Pharmacy, and find new revenue stream beyond dispensing medications,” she said.
Aina, who delivered the paper titled: “Evolving Pharmacy Practice: Tool to Sustenance of Economic Recovery and Growth”, said to survive, community pharmacists must be willing to acknowledge the rapidly occurring changes in healthcare delivery, and accept the reality that the changes will continue, noting that the traditional roles and activities are no longer of much value.
In his goodwill message at the programme, Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa, commended the Lagos State ACPN for choosing the theme, “Evolving Pharmacy Practice: Tool to Sustenance of Economic Recovery and Growth”, saying it was apt and in consonance with the vision of his administration for Pharmacy.
Also, the duo of Registrar, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, (PCN), Pharm. N.A.E Mohammed and national chairman, ACPN, Pharm. Samuel Adekola, maintained that the Continuous Education Conference programme organized annually by Lagos ACPN has been consistent over the years because of the importance that the association places on knowledge and effective service delivery.
In an earlier address, Chairman of ACPN Lagos, Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, said the continuing education conference was designed to ensure members of the association were not left out in the scheme of things even as the world keeps developing every day.
He also noted that the theme for the conference, was timely, considering the wave of disruption being advocated for in pharmaceutical practice, which community pharmacy is considered majorly affected.
He said the practice of some of his members have crashed due to plethora of factors such as, harsh business environment, over taxation, lack of basic infrastructures, security challenge, over regulation, unhealthy competition among health workers, corruption, financial problem, and dearth of trained pharmacy workforce, among others.
Poised to encourage innovation and active involvement of young pharmacists in public healthcare and community health/social development, Pharmanews Ltd., has decided to honour whoever emerges the Pharmanews Young Pharmacist of the Year, with an award of recognition.
To achieve this aim, we hereby call for nomination of young pharmacists, who have impacted their communities significantly, based on public healthcare delivery and community development activities. Your nomination should be attached as a comment to the post.
Young Pharmacists’ Group Nigeria Logo
Sequel to the nomination exercise, the panel in charge of the exercise will select five nominees with highest nomination for an Online Poll, and the candidate with the highest votes becomes the winner.
Please note thatnomination closes on Thursday, 13 December 2018 by 12 noon. While voting commences on Friday and closes on 7 January, 2019.
Nigeria’s HIV indices have improved in the last five years, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) said at the weekend in Abuja.
The Director-General of the agency, Sani Aliyu, made the disclosure at the launch of ‘Free to Shine’ Campaign against Childhood AIDS by the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the campaign was, “Transforming Africa through Prioritising Children, Adolescent and Mothers in the fight against HIV.”
The Director-General of the agency, Sani Aliyu
Mr Aliyu, who was represented by the Director, Community Prevention, Care and Support Department, NACA, restated the commitment of containing and subsequently halting the spread of HIV. He said the Free to Shine Campaign was a reinforcement of government’s political commitment to control the epidemic in the country.
He expressed optimism that the goal to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV was attainable, stating that Thailand, Belarus and Armenia have achieved it.
The DG said in Africa, mother-to-infant transmission rate was now below five per cent in countries such as Ethiopia, South Africa and Tanzania.
“I strongly believe that our mutual goal of keeping all mothers healthy and offering children a HIV-free start is achievable with the collective efforts of stakeholders across all sectors.
“This campaign presents a unique opportunity for all of us to bolster our efforts,’’ Mr Aliyu said.
He commended the passion and efforts of the wife of the President in advocating for the well-being of women, children and adolescents in the country.
Mr Aliyu said with the support of Mrs Buhari, NACA was confident that the campaign would unite people and organisations from the community to the national level.
He, therefore, appealed to the wives of governors to remain unrelenting in their efforts to ensure that actions are sustained, resources mobilised and accountability enforced at all levels.
According to the DG, NACA remains committed to its mandate and is ready to assist and support the wives of governors as they roll-out the campaign.
“I urge all stakeholders to continue to align their support to end childhood HIV and AIDS which affects our national objectives, policies and systems.
“This will ensure that Nigeria is not left behind, as the rest of the world progresses towards achieving the 90-90-90- goals of HIV epidemic control,’’ he said.
Earlier, Austin Omoigberale, President, Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), expressed willingness to assist the government to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country.
Mr Omoigberale, represented by Mariya Mukhtar, said the campaign would go a long way to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country.
The launch of the Free to Shine Campaign was graced by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Office of the Wife of the President, Hajo Sani, wives of governors of Jigawa and Edo states, former Plateau State Deputy Governor, Pauline Tallen, and others.
Pharm. Emeka Obinna Nwachukwu is the assistant general manager (marketing), Geneith Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited. A native of Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, Nwachukwu has a robust professional experience that spans over two decades in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked in various capacities with different reputable organisations.
Companies he worked with include Tideland Pharmaceuticals Limited, as superintendent pharmacist (1994-1995); Link Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, Lagos, as medical representative (1995-1997); Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, as manager, sales and marketing (1997-2001); Basconik Nigeria Limited, as manager, sales and marketing (2001-2003); Biomedicals Services Limited, Ilorin, Kwara State, as zonal sales manager, Lagos and Southwest (2003-2006); Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited, as regional manager (2006-2007), and currently Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, where he first served as national sales manager, before being promoted to his current position in 2011.
Pharm. Emeka Obinna Nwachukwu
Born 31 May, 1970, Nwachukwu attended Federal Government College, Okigwe, Imo State, where he sat for his West African School Leaving Certificate exams in 1986. He gained admission into the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka, Enugu State, that same year and bagged a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 1991.
After his internship at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nwachukwu, did his compulsory National Youth Service programme as a hospital pharmacist at Risonpalm Clinic, Port Harcourt.
An industrious strategist and versatile achiever, who has consistently demonstrated capacity to deliver great results with minimal resources, Nwachukwu attended the Metropolitan School of Business and Management, London, for his MBA. He equally attended the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University and other accredited institutions, in a bid to acquire more knowledge to boost his marketing and managerial skills.
To heighten his drive as a result-driven individual with demonstrated skills in establishing and expanding new frontiers through in-depth market research and aggressive marketing strategy, Nwachukwu has attended several local and international conferences and workshops. He has been attending all pharmacy-related conferences, including the annual conferences of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), for the past ten years.
Pharm. Nwachukwu was married to Brenda Nwachukwu, who died in 2014, after a brief illness. The couple had two children.
Worried by the geometric rate at which Hepatitis B is spreading among Nigerians, with the prevalence rate of 20 million Nigerians living with condition, according to World Health Organisation (WHO)’s data, Pharm. Obiageri Ikwu, a community pharmacist and managing director, Lopez Pharmacy and Stores, Lagos, in collaboration with Zolon Healthcare, recently organised Hepatitis B advocacy, awareness and training programme for community pharmacists in Oriade and Amuwo Odofin Zones of ACPN.
The training programme which was held at TFC Fastfood, Festac, Lagos was aimed at empowering community pharmacists and to ensure that they become Hepatitis B advocates, as well as help people to get vaccinated.
Pharm. Obiageri Ikwu
Speaking at the programme which had in attendance over 100 community pharmacists from Oriade and Amuwo Odofin Zones of the ACPN, Pharm. Ikwu, emphasized the importance of training, saying the aim was to train as many community pharmacists as possible and turn them to Hepatitis B advocates, so that they can help carry the hepatitis message across, and ensure that people get screened and vaccinated.
Speaking further, Ikwu noted that the community pharmacists, being the closest healthcare providers would be useful in championing the cause of eradicating the scourge of viral hepatitis b because of their knowledge, thereby emancipating Nigeria from the claws of hepatitis, which is in line with the WHO’s goal of viral hepatitis elimination by the year 2030.
“In Nigeria, studies have put the burden of Hepatitis B in most Nigerian cities to an average of 13 percent translating to an estimated 20 million people infected. This means that at least one of every 10 Nigerians is a chronic carrier of Hepatitis B and not only at risk of liver diseases and death but also at risk of transmitting it to others”. She stated
A cross section of community pharmacists at the event
The guest speaker, Mrs Ugochukwu Doris Ayika, a public health nurse, and Health Marketing Officer, Zolon Healthcare Limited, said that the biggest obstacle confronting Hepatitis B treatment in Nigeria is not the virulence of the disease virus or even the spread of the disease but a lack of awareness among Nigerians on the importance of discovering their Hepatitis B status, adding that there is also the issue of not knowing what to do, where to go to, and who to see, when it comes to hepatitis.
She, therefore, called on the community pharmacists to get involved in the fight in order to reach the masses quickly, noting that the masses need to face the reality of the disease and start taking responsibility for their health.
Encomiums have continued to pour in for the management of New Heights Pharmaceuticals (NHP), following the company’s procurement of two state-of-the-art cooling chambers to boost its supply chain.
The official commissioning of the faculty, which took place at the company’s head office in Maryland, Lagos on 9 November 2018, had a large turnout of pharma personalities.
Speaking with Pharmanews, Pharm. Paul Enebeli, chairman, board of directors, New Heights Pharmaceuticals, explained that the distribution of thermolabile pharmaceuticals had been a major challenge in the country for too long.
L-R: Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, chief executive officer of New Heights Pharmaceuticals (NHP); Pharm. Jonah Okotie, secretary, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos chapter; Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, chairman, ACPN, Lagos chapter; Pharm. Paul Enebeli, chairman, board of directors, NHP and Mrs Olubunmi Omaruaye, executive director, NHP at the launch.
“What we have now is, at best, the solution for adequate separation of thermolabile products, vaccines and others. This goes to show that we at New Heights Pharmaceuticals are thinking about the future.
“We keep trying to task ourselves to open new paradigms. This is one of our efforts to ensure that our customers are satisfied in all ramifications of pharmacy practice. We want to assure all that New Heights will continue to raise the bar in pharma distribution in Nigeria,” he reassured.
Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos State chapter, seemed to be in agreement with him when he said that if the pedigree of NHP was anything to go by, the wholesaling outfit’s acquisition of the cooling chambers was not unexpected.
L-R: Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos chapter; Mrs Olubunmi Omaruaye, executive director, New Heights Pharmaceuticals (NHP); Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, chief executive officer, NHP; Pharm. Paul Enebeli, chairman, board of directors, NHP; Pharm Adeshina Opanubi, project catalyst, Pharmalliance and Pharm. Jonah Okotie, secretary, ACPN at the commissioning of two ultra-modern cooling chambers at New Heights office in Lagos.
“I think it will further help to upgrade the quality of service they have been known to render to the retail outlets. Unlike the refrigerators used by some pharmacists, most of the vaccines and other products at New Heights’s disposal will obviously now be kept at a required temperature.
“The good thing about this is that one can easily track the temperature at which those items are kept over a long period of time. I want to encourage other pharma outlets to emulate what NHP has done,” he stated.
While congratulating the New Heights management for putting up such facility, Obideyi posited that the effort was highly commendable.
Similarly, Pharm. Jonah Okotie, secretary, ACPN-Lagos, remarked that he found the introduction of the cooling chambers quite beneficial.
“Coming from New Heights, I cannot really say it is a surprise. This is because they have been known over time in terms of quality and setting the pace when it comes to pharma wholesaling activity in Nigeria.
“Therefore I see this as another addition to the excellence they are known for. I want to assure everyone out there that anything they are getting from New Heights – be it vaccines or cold chain products – is of best quality,” he reassured.
Okotie declared that the ACPN was proud to identify with the project and further encouraged other members of the association to borrow a leaf from the laudable innovation.
According to Adeshina Opanubi, project catalyst of Pharmalliance, Nigeria’s premier retail pharmacy business network, the cooling chamber was a landmark investment worthy of commendation.
“Being a network that has about 100 stores, our members sometimes have issues guaranteeing the integrity of the cold chain products procured from suppliers. But with this innovation, our members can now go to sleep, knowing that the products they procure are of the highest quality and integrity,” he stressed.
Furthermore, Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, chief executive officer of New Heights, explained that the multimillion naira investment was in response to the huge gap identified in the cold chain management system in Nigeria.
“Prior to this investment, although we had a standard cold chain system, the management decided to adopt international best practices by further acquiring these new cold chain chambers,” he disclosed.
Continuing, Omaruaye said that the development was a critical first step in a deliberate journey to becoming the leader in cold chain distribution systems in Nigeria.
“The vision is to commit further investments into cold chain management so that the integrity of vaccines, thermolabile products and biologics can be guaranteed,” he emphasised.
It was a gathering meant for intellectual discourse and thought-provoking ideas, as the leadership of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) across the Thirty- Six (36) States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other major stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector, assembled in Lagos for a brainstorming session at the recently held 2018 ACPN National Summit.
The summit, themed: “Innovative Disruptions in Community Pharmacy Practice: Creating Trans-generational Pharmacies”, had in attendance, eminent personalities in the pharmaceutical industry, including the President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mazi. Sam Ohuabunwa; Pharm. Lere Baale, chief executive officer, Business School, Netherland, who was also the chairman of the occasion; Pharm. Lawan Moshood, director, Food and Drugs, Federal Ministry of Health, who also represented the Minister of Health, Dr Issac Adewole; Dr Ejiro Foyibo, PSN vice-president, South; Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, former chairman, ACPN Board of Trustees; Dr Albert Kelong Alkali, immediate past national chairman, ACPN.
L-R: Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, president, PSN; Pharm. Samuel Adekola, national chairman, ACPN, and Pharm. Lere Baale, chairman of the occasion at the summit.
Other notable pharmacists present at the summit were: Dr Dumebi O. Mordi, principal consultant, Rx3.0 Pharmacy and Consulting, who was the keynote speaker; Pharm. (Alh.) Ismail Adebayo, former national chairman, ACPN; Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Akhimien, former president, PSN; Pharm. Remi Adeseun; Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Pharm. Folashade Lawal; Pharm. Chima Ogbu, and Pharm. Anthony Oyawole, among others.
Addressing participants at the summit held at the Conference Hall of Presken Hotel and Resorts, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, the chairman of the occasion, Pharm. Lere Baale, commended the ACPN national chairman and his team for coming up with such laudable programme, saying the challenge bedeviling community pharmacy practice today is borne out of lack of ideas and innovations.
He noted that leadership skills, as well as cultural values are parts of the requirements for having a successful business venture. He stated that any community pharmacist practitioner that takes more than the profit generated from the business is stealing from the business, adding that successful business owners are only those who have discipline and integrity.
A cross section of community pharmacists at the event.
The national chairman, ACPN, Pharm. Samuel Adekola, assured members of the objectives of his administration in shaping the future of community pharmacy practice in Nigeria by ensuring that solid foundation is laid for the sustenance of every community pharmacist’s business, saying his utmost vision is to make every community pharmacy’s investment a trans-generational deal.
Affirming his commitment to ensure community pharmacy practice moves to the next level, the elated Adekola said the summit was a history-making event for the evolution of community pharmacy in the country, noting that the selection of participants for the summit was not an easy task as it took his team some interplay of wisdom and discretion to arrive at the names of those selected.
Also speaking at the event graced by the leaders and representatives of all interest groups of the PSN, the PSN President, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said the summit was timely and apt as it coincided with the period his administration is planning to start working on the best approach to take pharmacy from where it is presently to the level it is supposed to be.
The national executives of Universityof Nigeria Alumni Association (UNAA) recently paid courtesy visit to Pharm. Ike Onyechi, managing director, Alpha Pharmacy and Stores.
The visit was coming on the heel of the association’s summit at the National Stadium.
L-R: Pharm. Ike Onyechi, managing director, Alpha Pharmacy warmly receiving the University of Nigeria Alumni Association (UNAA) executives.
According to the President, Orji Udemezue, Onyechi is one of the esteemed alumnus of the institution whom many of them have come to respect.
In attendance were Christian Eyinnaya, past president, University of Nigeria Alumni Association; Christopher Nwachukwu, financial secretary; Doris Onwugamba, social secretary; George Emetuche, member and managing director, The Selling Champion Consulting and Pharm. Ignatius Anukwu, member and chief operations officer, Alpha Pharmacy.
A unique feature of the recently concluded 91st annual national conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), tagged “Oluyole 2018”, was the election of executives into the various offices of the Society. This feature has made the conference one of the most memorable and impactful in recent years.
The presidential election, in particular, generated a lot of interests, anxieties, participation and palpable fear because it was the first time in 12 years that pharmacists would have the opportunity to be involved in the choice of a president for the Society. Within this period, the society has witnessed many structural changes, including the emergence of the Young Pharmacists Group (YPG) which has grown rapidly in number and influence. Today, it has become the chief mobiliser of youths in Pharmacy and a respected asset of the PSN.
Pharm. (Dr) Obalolu Ojo
As a presidential candidate, I had a series of encounter with the YPG, which touched on the current travails and the future of the profession in Nigeria. The presidential campaign itself was long-drawn, intense, stressful, combative and resource-gulping, but the YPG encounter provided a refreshing flavour for me as a man with passion for a better practice.
We will write a comprehensive account of the events of the presidential contest, the roles of various individuals and institutions, as well as the outcome, at the appropriate time; but the issues of YPG interest cannot wait for the election chronicle because of the urgency and importance attached to their resolution.
I hold a position that the past cannot be changed but the future is within our power and reach to influence. And this future belongs to those who believe in their dreams. The YPG is the future of the pharmacy profession and I am passionately and irrevocably committed to working with like-minds to take Pharmacy to a greater height.
The past and present experiences are defined by unpleasant features, dashed hopes and an uncertain future. However, we can make things better by taking our destiny in our hands and live above the environmental limitation to deliver value to ourselves and the society. My answers to the YPG questions are summarised here for review, record-keeping and further action. I have taken the liberty to forward the manuscript to Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa even though I am aware of a similar encounter with other presidential candidates.
During the interaction, I could perceive the energy, momentum, expectations and anxieties – all pointing to what I have always known: that Pharmacy is composed of great minds, men and women with very high potentials, that need to be given kinetic expression in this environment.
I have summarised the issues into 15 points with my response to each.
Pharmacy regulation, PEP, Satellite Pharmacy and the new Pharmacy law.
There was a general expression of discontent with the professional examination (PEP) in contents, cost and value. They cannot see the justification for a scheme that has not added value and they want it scrapped, or the cost reduced to make it more affordable. I promised to liaise with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to review issues around the examination and the applicable fees, and work on a win-win situation. I cannot possibly justify something that I did not set up or initiate but we will engage all the stakeholders (academia, YPG, PCN, etc) to evolve the best way forward with a focus on value addition to all the parties involved, including the profession.
However, I know that pre-registration examination is a best practice in Pharmacy either in Europe or America. I think the issue is about our peculiar environment which require domestication of whatever we are importing from other climes. The emphasis must always be on value addition and we will ask the hard questions on the value of the PEP, MCPD and others. It must always be to make the practitioners better, we have done enough of basic courses in school and further examination must deal with the application of knowledge.
The satellite pharmacy is a good concept which will help us to stretch the 8000 active pharmacists to serve 180 million Nigerians; it will provide opportunity for colleagues who are not in ACPN and connect pharmacy more to the public and the social enterprise community.
Internship placement and paucity of gainful employment opportunities
The complaints here are numerous but the solution lies in our creative ability to create more opportunities for internship and post-NYSC employment. No one should be roaming the street looking for internship placement. We must pursue what is immediately under our control, i.e. getting an internship facility for each graduate/year by working with PCN, relevant bodies and agencies, as well as individuals, to achieve this aim.
With advocacy and appropriate push efforts, we should be able to achieve central internship placement. The situation now is critical, and we must not rest until it is corrected. We must not allow young pharmacists to take up jobs that do not offer opportunity to develop competencies, skills and knowledge (CSK). CSK is needed to increase the market value and net worth of the individual.
Poor remuneration, lack of recognition and career advancement opportunities
Young pharmacists are not properly remunerated, particularly in the private sector, and YPG demands action from PSN on this. We cannot possibly legislate on how much an employer will pay his employees, but we can change our circumstances to attract higher pay for our services.
We can set up an employment bureau to interface between young (and old) pharmacists and their would-be employers. We can repackage the pharmacist as the principal factor in pharmaceutical establishments. We can set up institutions to bridge the gap between training and practice. Young pharmacists must be encouraged to acquire skills and competencies to increase their market value and therefore, higher remuneration. The employment bureau will allow us to standardise things with minimum benchmarks.
Drug distribution
The unorganised drug distribution system in Nigeria has made Pharmacy unattractive and without appropriate recognition. It is an old problem which will require firm but careful handling. All the stakeholders must be involved in the solution desired. It will be mere wishful thinking to expect that all the traders will just disappear at once. Rather, we should push for a situation where everybody involved in drug business will be under regulatory control.
Dominance of the health sector by the doctors
The Doctors’ monopolisation of health administration in Nigeria is driven by ego, which is essentially an African tragedy. Our best approach will be through high level advocacy that will give pharmacists the right space to operate, just like Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti did for the doctors. We must find the key that will open this ancient door. We must continue to reach out to doctors for collaboration.
We must defend Pharmacy with all legal means possible and reach out to the international community for help. The issue of private hospitals stocking drugs without employing pharmacists is an enforcement issue. The law provides for PCN to register all premises where drugs are kept, sold or dispensed. However, there is a part of our law which allows doctors to keep drugs for their immediate use. I think we may need to seek the interpretation of these laws in the court if necessary.
Recognition for and sponsorship of YPG activities including entrepreneurship
YPG has come to stay as an interest group of the PSN. We must align with the social enterprise community for partnership and funding of the YPG activities. We should also explore the traditional channels for the same purpose. We must encourage YPG members to set up their own businesses including small scale manufacturing. We can also work with in-house experts to do a scalable plan which can be used by individuals or cooperative to secure funding.
Soursop is an evergreen fruit that is found in tropical areas like the Americas, the Caribbean and some parts of Africa. It has a white fleshy part, a spike-like skin and dark brown seeds. The botanical name for this fruit is Annona Muricata. Other names include: graviola, custard apple, ebo or apekan in Yoruba, fasadarur or tuwon biri in Hausa, and sawansop in Ibo.
Constituents
Soursop contains several beneficial antioxidants and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and iron. Soursop contains the B vitamins, as well as vitamins C, E, A (which occur in the form of beta-carotene). Phytonutrients found in the fruit include alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, lactones, anthraquinones, tannins, cardiac glycosides, phenols and phytosterols. It also contains an Acetogenin called Annonacin.
Soursop fruit
Pharmacological action/medicinal uses
Soursop has antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal and antiviral properties. Studies indicate that soursop may be a natural anti-infection treatment for root canals.
In many parts of Africa and India, traditional medicine practitioners use soursop fruit in treating Leishmaniasis, herpes infection, hypertension, fever and related conditions like diarrhoea, malaria, dysentery and seizures.
The seeds of soursop can be used as skin astringents to treat body wrinkles and ageing lines on the body.
Many studies have revealed the anti-inflammatory properties of this fruit can be useful in reducing pains and swelling caused by arthritis, rheumatism and insect bites; it functions as an analgesic.
Tryptophan present in the fruits and leaves is used by the body to produce niacin and serotonin, making it useful in aromatherapy; they relax the muscles and induce sleep.
The leaves of the soursop plant are said to have hypocholesterolemic properties. It is also believed that the soursop leaves kill cancer cells by blocking ATP production thus useful in breast and liver cancers.
Researches have proved that soursop helps in achieving weight loss.
Soursop can help to thin mucus secretions, relieve throat irritation and even act as a mild expectorant, soothing many associated symptoms.
Soursop is also known to have, antispasmodic, anti-diabetic, cardio tonic, diuretic, emetic, galactagogue, immunity boosting, laxative and liver toning activities.
Preparations
Soursop is often eaten raw due to its flavour and savoury taste.
It can be used as a smoothie or added to one; it can also be used in the making of soursop milkshakes, ice creams, in beverages and as juice.
The leaves and the bark, respectively, are most times boiled and taken orally. The leaves may be squeezed to bring out the liquid extract, which can be taken either orally or applied to the skin (infected area).
The seeds of soursop can be reduced to fine particles and used as skin astringents
Adverse effects
Some notable side-effects of soursop tea include nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders, hypotension, premature labour, fatigue, and some neurotoxic effects. However, most of these side l-effects occur as a result of allergies or excessive consumption of the tea,
It is not advisable to ingest soursop seed and bark as they can lead to or promote Parkinson’s disease.
It is not advisable for pregnant women to take soursop due to its content of toxins that might be harmful to the foetus.
Economic values and potentials
Soursop cost as much as ₦200-₦500 naira per fruit, depending on size and freshness. The supplements available in some health shops may cost an average of ₦1,000-₦2,000 per pack of 30 teabags, ₦1500-₦2000 per pack of leaf powder, ₦6000-₦8000 per pack of 100 capsules and ₦9,500 per bottle of bitters.
Opportunities abound in the cultivation and sale of fresh soursop fruits, leaves and bark and its use in the treatment of various health conditions as herbal medicines in various dosage forms.
My column for this month is dedicated to the giant strides of Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai’s administration, especially in taking the pharmacy profession in Nigeria to a place of honour and respect. Below is the foreword of the book titled “The Power of Advocacy”, which documents the strategies and successes of Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, tenure as PSN President.
Men of Honour, in November 2015, you gave me the mandate to serve you and our profession as the President of our noble society. We came with a vision and the ambitious goal of strengthening the PSN with collaborative, participatory, responsive and transparent leadership.
Pharm. Sesan Kareem
Immediately we came into office, we started working assiduously on our 23-point agenda. We set out a road map to achieve our vision and mission statement. Our manifesto was crafted, focusing mainly on adding value to PSN and its members: enhanced resources and resourcefulness of PSN, updating and improving the image of PSN, running an accountable and transparent organisation, creating an efficient and responsive forum and consolidating on the past achievements of the Society.
This report, termed, “The Power of Advocacy” gives systematic highlights of this journey. The journey itself has been challenging and gratifying. It is challenging because it has taken a toll on my health, family, businesses and lifestyle. However, it is also gratifying because together we have achieved many milestones in accomplishing our set objectives. Today, we have a better PSN than we met three years ago.
The ‘Lere Baale, FPSN-led strategy committee undertook a critical review on all the aspects of pharmacy practice in Nigeria and came up with a document – the PSN VISION 2050 STRATEGY – to move our profession to the next level of impact and progress, in order for us to be at par with other successful pharmaceutical practices across the globe. The committee comprises some of the brightest minds we have in the profession who have deep and extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in various aspects of the profession. They also worked hand in hand with all the technical groups of PSN and sought inputs from many pharmacists in and out of the country, as well as the general public on the strategy document.
The Lekan Asuni, FPSN-led IT Platform Committee has worked round the clock to come up with a template to revamp our drug distribution network, based on the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG) in the country. Ultralogistics Company of PSN (ULCO) is growing in bounds. The BASF West Africa Young Female Pharmacist of the Year Award, The Biogenerics Hospital Pharmacists of the year Integrity Award, Miral Malaria Essay writing for Pharmacy Students, PSNpay and PSN Foundation are new initiatives we came up with to strengthen the Society, enhance professionalism in our practice, recognise and celebrate our deserving colleagues, and also serve humanity as a selfless professional body.
The Medicines Information Centre is up and running helping, both health professionals and the general public to have accurate, timely and useful information about their medicines.
We have reached out and engaged various branches of PSN in the states and FCT and regional and global pharmacy professional networks on initiatives to improve qualitative access of medicines, medicine security and patients’ quality of life in general, as we continue to collaborate with various organisations to provide policy advocacy. These include United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), African Pharmaceutical Federation (APF), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA), American Public Health Association (APhA) – with the goal of deepening our institutional architecture as a Society.
In terms of health financing, we worked with USAID, PharmAcess, ULCO, NHIS and banks to open opportunities of financing for our colleagues.
Our public interest activities have put smiles on the faces of ordinary Nigerian citizens; this has strengthened our relationship with the public as a caring professional body. PSN donated over N50 million worth of medicines and fast moving consumer goods to IDPs in the North-East zone of the country. The Remi Adeseun FPSN/Ayuba Tanko, FPSN-led PSN-PACFah is now under PSN Foundation and it has been strengthened to serve the public better. It received support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Our advocacy visits have resulted in the actualisation of Pharm D programme in Nigeria; better remuneration for pharmacists in the police force acquisition of our property in Victoria Island; increased government commitment to fight drug abuse and eradication of substandard and falsified medicines in the country; championing national efforts aimed at promoting interprofessional collaboration to resolve disharmony in healthcare delivery services – using it and other numerous benefits for the profession, the Society and members of PSN.
I sincerely believe that the incoming administration will build on the progress made so far – building on our various initiatives, programmes and projects; consolidating our national and international partnerships; effectively harnessing the power of advocacy, which can help in policy change in healthcare; creating harmony among healthcare practitioners; expressing our views and concerns, and – by so doing- strengthen the practice and profession of Pharmacy in Nigeria.
Yours Sincerely,
Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, FPSN, FNIM, FNAPharm, FPCPharm
President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)
Notable medical practitioners in practice and academia, including Dr Titilayo Ogunlana, consultant paediatrician, Lagoon Hospitals, Ikeja; Hon. John Ajibayo Adeyeye, special adviser on health to the Ondo State Governor; Dr Tagbo Azubike, managing director, Lagoon Hospitals, Ikoyi; and Prof. Akin Osigbogun, a member of the United Nations Funds for Population Activities, have advised doctors and medical undergraduates to shun the common practice of leaving the country to seek employment overseas, saying the trend has only continued to worsen the challenges in the country’s health sector.
The medical experts gave the advice at the 2018 Health Week, organised by the Lagos State University Medical Students Association (LASUMA), held at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) Lecture Theatre, on 22 October 2018.
L-R: Adeola Fashola, financial secretary, LASUMA; Dr Titilayo Ogunlana, consultant paediatrician, Lagoon Hospitals, Ikeja; Dr Adeniran Adeyinka, senior lecturer, Department of Community Health and Primary Healthcare of the Lagos State University, College of Medicine LASUMA; Dr Tagbo Azubike, managing director, Lagoon Hospitals, Ikoyi; and another student during the panel discussion at the symposium.
The Health Week, which was a national event, also featured LASUMA’s 11th Annual Symposium themed, “The Scourge of Brain Drain in Nigerian Health Sector” and sub-themed: “Access to Adequate Healthcare: Barriers and Solutions”.
Speaking during the panel session, which had several students of the college in attendance, Ogunlana noted that rather than individually seeking better working conditions overseas, the medics should collectively be thinking of how to improve the health sector back home, adding that this would not only encourage other doctors to practise locally but would also attract foreign doctors to desire to work in the country.
Citing corruption in the health sector as one of the major reasons why doctors do not want to practise in the country, Ogunlana stated that “corruption is a systemic problem and has to be solved holistically”, stressing that doctors have to contribute their quota to tackling the problem, rather than seeking to escape it.
Dr Adeyinka, who was the second speaker in the panel, observed that it was essential to ascertain the exact root causes the challenge of doctors leaving the country to practise abroad, as this would help in proffering viable solutions for the benefit of all.
He further expressed concern that while government was supposed to provide inspirational leadership, while doctors rendered quality services, the reverse had been the case in Nigeria. “Looking at our infant mortality statistics, we can see how many infants are being lost due to poor services,” he said.
Adeyinka equally bemoaned the statistics that show that the ratio of doctors to patients in Nigeria is one to 6,000 per day. “How then do we expect them to attend to all the patients properly, knowingly full well that at the end of the month, they will get a peanut payment as salary?” he queried.
Dr Osibogun, who was represented by Dr (Mrs) Okafor, spoke on the barriers to accessing primary healthcare and maternity centres for pregnant women and lactating mothers, and why people lose interest in going to healthcare centres for treatments.
She cited reasons people avoid health centres to include: language barrier, limited cash flow, transportation, delay in hospitals, uneasy access to doctors, difficulty in navigating a hospital, stigma and lack of trust.
In his presentation, Dr Azuibike spoke on how privatising the health industry could affect the Nigerian health sector, noting that “inefficiency is one of the major problems of Nigeria health sector and it has to be corrected, in as much as accountability is needed.”
Coming up for the second time, Ogunlana enlightened the participants on identifying their passions and specialties in medicine, which she admitted might not be an easy task.
She however urged the students not to choose a specialty based on present challenges, but rather on personal area of interest, and advance on it gradually.
“Every challenge in the health sector is actually a way for you to pave way for yourself to success and fame,” she said.
The high point of the symposium was the presentation of awards to some outstanding students, speakers, panelists and lecturers.
Speaking with Pharmanews in an exclusive chat after the event, some of the participating students expressed delight with the nature of the programme, saying it was an eye-opening experience that would not only guide them in their career decisions but has also dissuaded them from joining the bandwagon of physicians desperate to leave the country for overseas practice.
The name, Oludolapo Ibukun Akinkugbe, is one that commands reverence in the Nigerian healthcare industry – particularly among pharmacists – and rightly so. He was the pioneer general secretary of the defunct Nigerian Union of Pharmacists (NUP).
He brought international recognition to the PSN when he was invited to serve on the Council and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA). He was also a member of the Pharmacy Board which was then a regulatory body for the profession. He has worked as a hospital pharmacist, representative of retail and wholesale pharmacies and in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. He was the first Nigerian chairman of Procter and Gamble Nigeria Plc., as well as being a former chairman of Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline). He was also the founding director of Palm Chemist and Spectrum Books in Ibadan.
Chief Oludolapo Ibukun Akinkugbe, who once declared in an interview with Pharmanews, “I was destined to be a pharmacist”, was born in Ondo town, on 5 December 1928, to a renowned druggist father who qualified as a chemist in 1919. As a teenager, his initial ambition was to study Medicine, while his father wanted him to go into the Holy Orders of Priesthood after his secondary education at Ondo Boys High School. However, shortly after his graduation in December 1945, He was offered a teaching job in the same school while awaiting his Cambridge Certificate Examination result.
At one time, he went with three of his teaching colleagues to Lagos in search of other opportunities. While there, they heard that the entrance examination into the School of Pharmacy in Yaba was being held and they decided to take a chance. Their applications were nearly late but they managed to be admitted for the exams. Only 12 slots were available for admission that year and, as fate would have it, Akinkugbe was the only one among the four friends who scaled through. He considered himself lucky to be offered admission, particularly because he thought it would give him the opportunity to study Physics and Chemistry which were not offered in his secondary school and would enhance his prospects for admission into a medical school.
After completing his first year at the School of Pharmacy, he was offered admission into Trinity College, Dublin, which was the only university he applied to for Medicine. But he could not accept the offer due to financial constraints It was at that point that he knew he had to complete his training as a pharmacist. However, this disappointment offered him another opportunity to remain in a career which he would eventually enjoy.
Chief Akinkugbe started his professional career working in the dispensary at the General Hospital on Broad Street, Lagos, which was the only teaching hospital for medical doctors in Nigeria as at that time. After one year, he was drafted to the central medical stores with headquarters adjacent to the General Hospital. It was while doing this job in 1950 that his colleagues requested him to accept the position of general secretary of the Nigerian Union of Pharmacists (NUP) which was a trade union of pharmacists in the civil service.
His exploits as NUP secretary general brought him into limelight early in his career. He was part of the revolution that advocated for the review of remuneration and other conditions of service for pharmacists from the central government. The successful presentation by the NUP led to substantial improvements in the remuneration and conditions of service for pharmacists all over Nigeria.
When Chief Akinkugbe left the civil service for the private sector, he was offered a job at Morrison, Son and Jones West Africa Limited, which was the representative of Burrows Wellcome, Evans Medical, Ward Blenkinsop, Lederle Laboratories and a few others in West Africa. Following the scrapping of NUP, he became a member of the PSN which is an umbrella body for both pharmacists in public and private sectors. In 1953 he was asked to be secretary of the PSN because of his feats at the NUP, although he was barely 25 years of age.
Interestingly, a year before this, Chief Akinkugbe had ventured into pharmacy business in with the establishment of Palm Chemists Ltd – an incorporated company with limited liability. The pharmacy was located on Victoria Street in Lagos. After struggling for two years with limited success, he decided to relocate the business to Ibadan which was becoming more cosmopolitan because of the siting of the University College, Ibadan (Nigeria’s first university campus, now University of Ibadan).
Palm Chemists became an instant success because of its suitable location at New Court Road close to the premises of many multinational companies at that time. The pharmacy was also reputed for its innovative approach, both in presentation of premises, range of stock, the courtesy of staff and good managerial skills.
From then on, the man behind the pharmacy has risen to become an icon in the healthcare industry, a consummate entrepreneur, and a worthy role model for present and future generations of Nigerians.
I was at a recent function organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education as one of the guest speakers at a workshop for all guidance counsellors in the state. I was particularly amazed and bothered at the same time at the statistics given by one of the presenters, Dr Adedeji, the coordinator of CADAM (Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry) on substance abuse among our youth believed to be our future leaders.
The age range with the highest prevalence was said to be 15-26 years, not just in Nigeria alone but around the globe. It therefore makes more meaning for the United Nations to declare 26 June of every year as world drugs (substance) day.
Pharm. ‘Dipo MacJob
As at April 2018, Kano residents alone were reported to have consumed about 3 million bottles of codeine on a daily basis. Lets face it, if a trend like this continues, the future is really bleak for the youths, especially the millennials who are highly impressionable.
One major tool we need to adopt in tackling this menace is non-verbal intelligence because its approach is rather proactive than reactive, which perhaps is a serious challenge in our value system as a people. Nothing really gets done or attended to until there is some damage of some sort or a whistle is blown by the Western culture as was the scenario of the BBC codeine saga.
Unfortunately, that reactive way of tackling issues is not the best because the more exposed these youths are to substances, the greater the propensity to commit crime. If we must change the fruits, we must pay attention to the roots.
“Obedience is better than sacrifice,” they say. The fight against substance abuse among our people requires that all stakeholders have their hands on deck. The progression starts usually with an initial RESISTANCE, then TOLERANCE, then ACCEPTANCE, then SUBSTANCE is being taken by the individual. From substance use, it gets to substance misuse, abuse and later addiction. Addiction comes in because of some kind of frustration, leading to agitation, aggression, depression and, eventually, annihilation or self-destruction which manifests a lot of times as suicide.
The role that non-verbal intelligence plays as a mediator is that a person does not have to go through this cycle that eventually may lead to death. If non-verbal intelligence as a skillset is adequately deployed the moment red flags of probable substance abuse in an individual is detected, then the cycle can be broken and the situation salvaged. One of the cardinal tools in Non Verbal Intelligence is graphology, also known popularly as hand writing analysis.
Suicide and handwriting
Studies have shown that the second leading cause of death among young people globally is suicide. It is perhaps one of the most difficult eventuality to detect in anyone because people who really want to commit suicide aren’t likely going to tell anybody. So, relying on verbal communication here would not do the job effectively. As a matter of fact, the moment a person writes a suicide note, his or her mind is made up.
However, since nothing just happens, there are precursor traits to suicide attempts which most of the time present in a nonverbal channel – for example, the handwriting. Except you have someone skillful enough to understand such suicidal traits in a handwriting sample of a friend, colleague, family member or loved one, there is inevitably going to be an addition to the statistical figures on suicide nationally and by extension, globally.
As part of its vision to meet up with the federal government’s mega distribution policy, and increasing demands from multinational and local pharmaceutical companies, World Wide Commercial Ventures Limited (WWCVL) officially commissioned its warehouse in Abuja, following the completion of expansion work at the facility.
The colourful inauguration ceremony, which took place at Gwarinpa area of the federal capital territory recently, has Santosh Kumar, managing director, World Wide Commercial Ventures; Pharm. Elijah Mohammed, registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN); Pharm. (Mrs) Emily Olalere, zonal director, PCN; Baba Shehu Ahmed, director of Planning, Research and Statistics, PCN and other personalities in attendance.
WWCVL started operations at the Abuja warehouse facility in 2012 with a total storage area of 5000 Square Feet. With completion of expansion work in September 2018, the total storage area was doubled to 10,000 Square Feet.
L-R: Segun Akinola, area commander in charge of Gwagwalada/Kuje Fire Service; Pharm. Ariel Wuyep, chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Abuja branch; Pharm. Jelili Kilani, chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Abuja chapter; Santosh Kumar, managing director, World Wide Commercial Ventures Limited (WWCVL); Pharm Elijah Mohammed, registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN); Pharm. (Mrs) Emily Olalere, zonal director, PCN; Baba Shehu Ahmed, director of Planning, Research and Statistics, PCN and Pharm. Stephen Esumobi, deputy director enforcement, PCN at the event.
Speaking with Pharmanews, Pharm. Lucky Ubokor, superintendent pharmacist of the company expressed delight at the development.
“The idea is to provide another location in Abuja where WWCVL can use as a hub. For instance, in Lagos, Matori is the central warehousing facility where all our import and local purchases are shipped into. It is from here that we distribute to other satellite centres across the country.
“We decided to position Abuja as a hub for the Northern region so as to bring the products closer to customers in that particular area. Beyond that, it is also in line with new mega distribution policy which is expected to take off any moment from January 2019,” he said.
L-R: Santosh Kumar, managing director, World Wide Commercial Ventures Limited (WWCVL); Pharm. Lucky Ubokor, superintendent pharmacist, (WWCVL) and Pharm Elijah Mohammed, registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) during the official commissioning.
Ubokor disclosed that the expanded facility has all the GDP requirements, fire detector & safety equipment, CCTV, rodent traps, exocutors to guard against flying insects, cooling systems, good warehouse-keeping practices (as practiced in all WWCVL locations), temperature and humidity monitors as well as every modern feature expected in a facility of such magnitude.
According to the pharmacist, Gwarinpa warehouse was basically upgraded to accommodate many of WWCVL’s principals in Abuja with the hope of increasing capacity and having more warehousing space.
“That was why we got the additional space and modified it to pharma grade. So it is more like an additional capacity.
“Our long term vision is to maintain good distribution practice to satisfy the need of clients as well as the vision of the federal government on drug distribution policy. It is to the North what Lagos is to the South,” he emphasized.
WWCVL houses many great companies such as GSK Pharma, Pfizer, GSK Consumer, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Danone, Sanofi, Pfizer, Merck , Neimeth, Drugfield , Gemini, Novo Nordisk, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, Sandoz, Strides, Roche, Getz Pharma, Shalina Healthcare and Pharmadeko.
Pharm. Lere Baale, director, Business School Netherlands (BSN), has applauded Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, saying Christian pharmacists have a lot to imbibe from his exemplary leadership style.
Speaking during the 2018 annual meeting of the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN), which held recently at International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, Baale praised the outgoing president for his resilience and steadfastness.
L-R: Pharm. Lere Baale, director, Business School Netherlands; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited; Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo, managing director, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Maxwell Obeka, president, Christian Pharmacists Fellowship of Nigeria and Pharm. Elijah Mohammed, registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
The trainer explained that, for what it is worth, pharmacists should continually thank God for bringing in a leader like Yakasai to restore sanity to the profession.
“I am using this testimony without stepping on toes. As Christians and men of honour, pharmacists should not be seen humiliating fellow pharmacists.
“Instead, when people see us, our lives must reflect the goodness of God. We are salt of the earth; and, of course, we know what happens when salt loses its taste,” he emphasised.
Continuing, the pharmacist charged the large gathering of Christians who turned up for the event not to get entangled by worldly allurement.
Reminiscing, the NBS director noted that he faced so many challenges prior to becoming who he is today.
“I was told that I would not become a director in Pfizer. Guess what? I did. I was told that I would end up searching for a job. I did not. The truth is that nobody can determine your fate,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “Being a workaholic, I am not the best husband. But God blessed me with a wife that I see as a mother. Therefore I will say that for positive things to start happening, you must give your life to Christ,” he opined.
Another guest speaker, Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo, managing director, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals remarked that every man is blessed with a seed of greatness.
“I am saying this because most of us here know the story of how Drugfield started out with one single product. The moral is that we should not despise the days of humble beginning,” he said.
The pharmacist narrated how the death of his father almost put an end to his education at age five. According to him, his mother had to rely heavily on her bean cake business to salvage the situation and knitting the family together.
Ekundayo recalled that shortly after he left Pfizer and Doyin Pharmaceuticals, his last place of work as plant manager, he contemplated going into penicillin production with a bit of doubt. According to him, for every hurdle he scaled, a new obstacle surfaced – from getting a premises to inadequate capital, his problem kept getting piled up by the day until God used the then director of inspectorate division in NAFDAC (Alhaji Adebiyi) to help him out.
“As I said before, there is a seed God gave each of us. For instance, when our daddy here, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, tells you how he started his Pharmanews journey, you will appreciate the power of small beginning.
“There was a time that I used to panic over how to pay salaries until I handed everything to God. Today, our payroll is in excess of N60 million,” he stressed.
Christian Pharmacists Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) is a non-denominational fellowship group comprising pharmacists across the country and in Diaspora.
In attendance were Pharm. Maxwell Obeka, president, CPFN; Ike Onyechi, immediate past president, CPFN; Prof. Cecilia Igwilo, member and Pharm. Elijah Mohammed, registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
– As NIMR holds 5th International Scientific Conference
For Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to be a reality in most African countries, health-related research must be prioritised, just as governments must be willing to invest more in scientific research for the general wellbeing of their citizens.
This was the submission of science experts at the recent 5th International Scientific Conference, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
The scientists, who included Minister of State for Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Director General, NIMR, Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako; Vice President for Research, South African Medical Research Council, Professor Jeffery Mphahlele; Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. B.C. Ozumba; representative of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Mrs Ilori Erson; Representative of fhi 360, Mrs Olufunmilayo Ojo; and others, made significant observations and recommendations on the actualisation of Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.
L-R: (Front row) Vice President for Research, South African Medical Research Council, Professor Jeffery Mphahlele; Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba; Professor Oni Idigbe; Director General, NIMR, Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako; Dr Daniel Duvall, US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr Rosemary Audu, NIMR, with others at the conference.
South African Professor Mphahlele, who was the keynote speaker, bemoaned the state of health-related research in Africa, noting that Africa is not doing well in terms of research, because only one per cent of global investment in Research and Development is spent in Africa.
According to him, “For a continent like Africa that shares 12 per cent of global population and yet produces less than one per cent of total science output, obviously, we are not doing well”.
He therefore charged African leaders and governments on increased funding of science-related research, for the attainment of Universal Health Coverage in African countries.
A cross-section of participants at the conference.
Speaking with Pharmanews in an exclusive interview at the conference, NIMR DG, Prof. Salako, highlighted the plethora of challenges facing the Nigerian Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) vis-à-vis the realisation of Universal Health Coverage.
Salako noted that the temporary challenges facing the NHIS cannot prevent the country from achieving its goal of universal health coverage.
Salako however picked a hole in the current operation of the scheme, saying it is not effective enough in its coverage, as major parts of the country are neglected by its operation.
This, he said, should be a major concern for policy-makers to review.
“NHIS is not covering the major parts of Nigeria and probably covering only a few states but I think the progress should be faster than what it is now. The National Council on Health should really make it a priority in all states, to have a functional health insurance scheme for the citizens.
“And it is not only NHIS that is needed to make reasonable impact on Universal Health Coverage, as there are other factors to be considered like that of mutual relationship among the health workforce, and recurrent health workers strike.
“Even if we have money today, the relationship between our healthcare team in hospitals is unhealthy and that also has to be addressed. The issue of frequent strike and industrial actions here and there by members of the ministry of health has to be resolved and infrastructure has to be put in place”, he asserted.
On his part, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, noted that there should be a well-articulated health insurance scheme to address communicable diseases and maternal health, adding that if Ethiopia and Rwanda, who do not have as much money as Nigeria could successfully decimate maternal mortality, Nigeria had no excuse for not meeting up with the healthcare needs of its populace.
Ozumba, who was also the chairman of the opening ceremony, expressed optimism in the achievement of Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
Said he: “It can actually be achieved if the right things are put in place. Firstly, we have to make sure that there are community based health insurance schemes and then nationally.”
The 91st Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), tagged “Oluyole 2018” and held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Ibadan, Oyo State from Monday 29 October to Friday 3 November, has come and gone, but the highlights of the historic gathering will continue to be a reference point in the years to come.
It must be admitted from the outset that the conference, themed “Innovative Disruption in Pharmacy in Emerging Economies: A Roadmap for Emerging Economies”, was an improvement on the 2017 edition, as some of the hitches in the previous edition were noticeably avoided.
91st Annual PSN Conference banner
Despite the fact that the 2018 conference was arguably the most attended in the history of the annual event – with more than 4500 participtants in attendance – the PSN Conference Planning Committee and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) deserve commendation because the capacity of the ICC hall was such that participants at the opening ceremony and during other sessions were comfortably accommodated in the hall.
This scrupulous organisation also applied to the exhibition area which was equally very spacious and comfortable for both exhibitors and their visitors, thus making product exhibition – a fundamental part of the conference – more convenient and enjoyable, despite the fact that the exhibitors were noticeably more in number, compared to the previous editions of the conference.
It must be pointed out also that the presence of a number of top dignitaries among whom were Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State; Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, deputy governor, Oyo State; His Royal Highness Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Olubadan of Ibadan and Prince Julius Adelusi – Adeluyi, president, Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy at the opening ceremony added colour and glamour to the occasion.
The keynote speaker, Pharm. Clare Omatseye, managing director/CEO, JNC International Limited also did justice to the theme of the conference and provided fresh insights on the future of the pharmaceutical industry in view of the ongoing digital revolution and what pharmacists should do to avoid being left behind in the analogue age.
Perhaps the most significant event at the conference was the election of a new president for the PSN, in the person of Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa, who succeeded Pharm. Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai. His election, as well as those of other executives of the Society, signposted a new chapter in the history of the PSN.
However, beyond the ceremonial, business and educational milestones that the event has provided, the significance of this 91st PSN conference must not be lost on the PSN and pharmacists, and the lessons learnt must be consolidated and built upon to improve future conferences, as well uplift the pharmacy profession.
First, the 2018 PSN electioneering process and the election proper marked a watershed in the history of the Society. The opening up of the political space saw the emergence of four vibrant candidates and a campaign unlike any before, both through the traditional media as well as the social media. It also saw the first ever PSN presidential debate, organised by Pharmanews Limited in collaboration with the PSN.
There are positives in this development and the electoral rules, if necessary, may have to be reviewed to accommodate these new possibilities and current realities to improve future elections and the democratic process of the Society. It may also be necessary to consider the deployment of technology for the election proper (voting and vote counting) to make the process less stressful as counting of votes at the conference this year went on till very late in the night which caused a delay in announcing the result and declaring the winner. It is our view that the use of technology can help reduce this stress on the election officials as well as enhance transparency and credibility of the process.
We congratulate the new PSN president, Pharm. (Mazi) Ohuabuwa who comes to the office with a very rich pedigree and an enviable record of achievements both in and out of Pharmacy. We wish him a successful tenure and urge him to use his wealth of experience to consolidate on the gains of the achievements of the Yakasai administration.
As we look forward to the fulfilment of his campaign promises which are encapsulated in the assurance of taking Pharmacy to the next level in all its ramifications, we call on all pharmacists to support him in making this vision a reality.
The Selling Champion Consulting Limited (TSCC), a certified training organisation, is set to hold the first Nigeria’s Open Sales Conference, themed: ”The Salesman as Catalyst for Economic Development”.
The sales conference, which is scheduled for Saturday 8 December, 2018, will take place at the Welcome Centre Hotel, 70 International Airport Road, Ikeja, from l0am-3pm.
Conference Banner
The conference will feature a crop of high-profiled speakers, including :Dr Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman, Zinox Technology Group, as keynote speaker; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, president, Pharmacuetical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and former chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group; Britus Cbinoko, acting DG, Centre for Management Development; Charles lloegbunam, FNIMN, former general manager, sales and marketing, Promasidor; Soni Irabor, chairman, Soni Irabor Media Group; Dr Adebola Olubanjo, FCA, executive chairman, Adebola Sobanjo Company; Gloria Nwabuike, head of marketing, Nestle Waters; Biola Ayeni, ceo, Affordable Cars Ltd and George O. Emetuche, founder, The Selling Champion Consulting Limited.
Speaking with the convener on the objective of the conference, Emetuche revealed that TSCC has played significant roles in promoting sales profession in Nigeria in several ways, through the publication of sales books, and promotion of effective salesmanship on radio, television and new media.
“In line with our vision to provide a platform where sales people from diverse industries will converge annually for capacity building and networking, we are hosting the first Nigeria’s open sales conference”, he asserted.
For further information on the conference, please visit the conference website: www.nigeriasalesconference.com.
She said that the drug would be burnt and disclosed that NAFDAC had in the last one year, destroyed sub-standard and falsified medicines, unsafe drugs and unwholesome food and chemicals worth N3 billion.
Prof. Adeyeye said that with the support of the presidency, National Security Adviser’s office and sustained awareness campaign on the implications of NAFDAC’s absence at the ports, the agency returned to the ports in May 2018.
“The agency seized and destroyed sub-standard and falsified medicines and unsafe drugs worth N3 billion, including unwholesome foods and other unregulated products, in the last one year.
“We intercepted and destroyed 25 containers of Tramadol worth N1.7 billion.
“There is a plan underway to destroy more than 30 containers of tramadol and other unregistered products worth N198 billion.
“Three persons involved in the distribution of the banned tramadol have been arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos,” she said.
Adeyeye said that if the impounded drug had infiltrated Nigerian markets, it would have caused a national security issue as youths addicted to the substance would have taken to violent crimes, including armed robbery and insurgency.
She disclosed that when she assumed duty at NAFDAC a year ago, the agency was in debt to the tune of N3.2 billion, mainly due to the non-payment of withholding tax to the Federal Government.
She, however, announced that the agency cleared all the debt within one year “due to proper financial management.”
The NAFDAC boss added that “Our Ports Inspection Directorate has been able to recover N533 million of evaded administrative charge from stakeholders unpaid from 2014 to 2017.
She said that NAFDAC, under her leadership, cleared a backlog of 6,000 applications for registration of products.
Prof. Adeyeye said that the agency would on December 15, begin online registration of drugs and foods.
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Pharm. Jimi Agbaje, has tasked the federal government on meeting the basic healthcare needs of Nigerians, especially the vulnerable; as this will enhance reduction in the occurrence of untimely death among the populace.
Speaking at the 2018 Annual Widows Day Free Healthcare Outreach, organised by The Roses Ministry, a faith-based non-governmental organisation, which focuses on alleviating the plight of widows, orphans and vulnerable persons in the society, held inside the National Population Commission Secretariat, Surulere, Lagos recently, Agbaje, a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), decried the rate at which vulnerable Nigerians are dying due to lack of adequate healthcare delivery.
Pharm. Jimi Agbaje, addressing the widows at the progarmme.
Agbaje, whose arrival to the venue of the event threw the crowd into wild jubilation, is in the gubernatorial race again for the third time, having lost the last Lagos governorship election to the incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
In his words, the eminent pharmacist urged the widows, which numbered about 2000 to imbibe the habit of checking their health status against any ailment, stressing that regular check-up was a way to get early intervention and arrest a deteriorating health condition.
The PDP candidate who also participated in screening some of the widows, said he was not at the programme to campaign, but he promised to introduce a health insurance scheme to cover all citizens in addition to providing adequate health facilities in the state, if elected as the governor of Lagos State in 2019.
Pharm. Jimi Agbaje, checking the blood pressure of one of the widows, while Coordinator, The Roses Ministry, Pharm. Regina Ezenwa, and others assist during the health screening.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 2,000 widows benefited from the free health screening and donations of food items, clothing materials, and drugs at this year’s programme.
According to her : “ The Roses Ministry as a Foundation was set up to show God’s love to the hurting and vulnerable in society, had little beginning as it started with about 50 widows some years ago, but has significantly increased to over 2000 widows in 2018. One of the reasons for conducting free healthcare screening and giving out free drugs to all the widows was to assist majority of them, who desire adequate healthcare but do not have the financial strength to obtain it”.
Also present at the healthcare screening exercise was the Zonal Coordinator, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Surulere Zone, Pharm. Daniel Okoye, who explained that the free healthcare outreach for the widows has been an annual partnership between the ACPN, Surulere Zone, and The Roses Ministry, adding that it was part of the association’s contribution to improving public healthcare in the country.
Also speaking, Ugochi Opara, head, Widows Department, The Roses Ministry, noted that apart from the level of support towards the ministry which has improved tremendously, the number of participants has also increased significantly compared to last year.
The 2018 Annual Widows Day Free Healthcare Outreach themed: “The Widow and Her Choices”, the programme featured praise and worship, drama, free medical attention, counseling and giving out of relief materials, ranging from Bibles, Ankara fabrics, bags of rice, drinks, tomato pastes, loaves of bread, vegetable oil, toiletries and drugs to the widows.
The President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa has inaugurated the PSN national team on research, documentation and industrial liaison, headed by Dr Lolu Ojo as chairman.
Some members of the committee in a group photograph with the PSN president, Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa.
The inauguration, which was held at the Pharmacy House, Anthony, Lagos, on Friday, 30 November 2018, was witnessed by distinguished pharmacists.
Members of the committee are: 1) Pharm.(Dr) Lolu Ojo FPSN, Chairman
Self-discipline or self-imposed discipline is key to achieving your goals and moving in the direction of your vision. Your vision imposes a measure of discipline on you. In fact, your vision is the source of your discipline. People who are self-disciplined are trusted and respected.
Vision is like your destination which determines the route you take on the journey. Of course, if you are not sure of your destination, you can use any route because it will still lead you somewhere, even if undesirable. Recently, I started using my GPS (Global Positioning System) more effectively. For the GPS to direct you, you must be sure of your destination, which is the end-point. If you do not know where you want to go, no GPS can help you.
Sir, Ifeanyi Atueyi
Your vision points to your destination and if you have no predetermined destination, you move aimlessly round and round, like the Israelites in the wilderness. That is why the Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18). It implies that if you do not know where you are going, you will be confused, disorganised, and waste your resources – especially time, money and natural gifts.
Someone without a vision is like a bull in a china shop and should be avoided. The NASB version says, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained…” A person without vision moves like a free radical, inflicting damage to whoever he associates with. In any case, he does not select whom to relate with or where to be at any point in time.
As long as a person has no vision, his decisions, choices, and actions are not harmonised and cannot be predicted. Often, he takes wrong decisions resulting in losses of some valuable resources.
When God gives you a vision, you know the direction to go in life. This will affect your total life, the associations to which you belong, the friends you keep, the books you read, your diet, your work, your hobby, your meetings, how you spend your time and money, the television programmes you watch, the time you spare for rest and sleep, the exercise you take, and above all, your relationship with God, who is the source of the vision.
When you have a vision for your life, you have restraint or control and your life becomes orderly. An unrestrained life is a complicated life. When your life is restrained, you can boldly say “no” to what you don’t want. You are invited to a dinner in a first class restaurant, and you are able to say no because you don’t associate with such people. You don’t keep such people as friends. You are invited to a seminar or lecture on a certain subject by a popular speaker. You must ask yourself whether the subject has any relevance or value to you. If not, why do you go simply because you were invited?
The discipline imposed by your vision causes you to live somehow a regulated life. It restricts your life and makes you not to be a jack-of-all trades-and-master-of-none. It limits your scope of activities and influence, causing you to concentrate on areas of interest and value to you. You are no longer a man of unlimited interests. People who are close to you know your daily habits and your priorities. They know where you should be at certain times of the day or days of the week. Your movements are predictable.
In your life’s journey, you must avoid unnecessary diversions or detours which consume your limited resources and cause delays. Sometimes they are inevitable in life. Detours are challenges you must face. But the beauty of detours is that God has already known about them and made the necessary provisions for you. Even if the challenge is life-threatening, it does not come to God as an accident. Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Also, avoid shortcuts which appear to make your journey faster but eventually bring more problems. If you live in Lagos, like me, you must have realised that you are most of the time better on the major roads than using the so-called shortcuts or “corner-corner” routes, which often cause more frustration and disappointment.
I believe that shortcuts are never better options to the major way.
-Says 1 in 4 Persons with HIV Don’t Know their Status
As Nigerians join the rest of the world to commemorate the World AIDS Day, usually celebrated on the first day of December of every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the use of self-tests for HIV, in order to bridge gaps in the availability of HIV tests.
This year’s celebration themed “Know your status”, marks the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day – a pioneering global health campaign first initiated by WHO in 1988.
WHO, through a statement released for the 2018 commemoration of the day, noted that the institution first recommended HIV self-testing in 2016, and now more than 50 countries have developed policies on self-testing.
Meanwhile, available statistics shows that Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world. Although HIV prevalence among adults is much less (2.8%) than other sub-Saharan African countries such as South Africa(18.8%) and Zambia (11.5%), the size of Nigeria’s population means 3.1 million people were living with HIV in 2017.
While stressing that one in four persons with HIV do not know they have the disease, the document stated that people with HIV often have other infections – known as co-morbidities – such as TB or hepatitis. One in three deaths in people with HIV is from TB. Around 5 million people are living with both HIV and viral hepatitis. One in three people with HIV has heart disease.
“This has meant that HIV care has long needed joined-up care, although this doesn’t always happen in practice. WHO is now promoting ‘person-centred’ health services to all people living with HIV, to meet their holistic health needs, not just their HIV infection – linking HIV services with those for TB, sexual and reproductive health, non-communicable diseases and mental health,” says Dr Hirnschall.
To achieve this goal, the release explained that outside sub Saharan African, 75% of new infections are among key populations and their partners. Thus these data need to be acted upon and services to be re-focused to reach these populations at greatest risk. This will include addressing stigma and discrimination that continue to be barriers and providing services in and with communities.
“In 2016 the World Health Assembly adopted the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on HIV, 2016-2021. The strategy provides new direction for the HIV response as it aims to fully integrate HIV into the broader health and development agenda of achieving universal health coverage by 2030 – where all people receive high-quality health services and medicines they need without experiencing financial hardship.
“The future of the HIV response will also require looking beyond HIV care provision and ensuring that the disease response is embedded in universal health coverage. Ending AIDS is unlikely to ever happen without Integrated health system that provide HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment as well as care with other essential health services. and support to other co-morbidities such as TB, NCDs and mental health at the community level. A people-centred, human rights based and holistic approach is crucial”, says Dr Naoko Yamamoto, Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage and Health Systems, WHO.
The apex health institution has also assured of it continuous efforts in working with international organizations such as Unitaid and others, and its continued support to the largest HIV self-testing programmes in six countries in southern Africa. This programme is reaching people who have not tested themselves before, and is linking them to either treatment or prevention services. This World AIDS Day, WHO and the International Labour Organization will also announce new guidance to support companies and organizations to offer HIV self-tests in workplace.
Fear, stigma and ignorance. That is what defined the HIV epidemic that raged through the world in the 1980s, killing thousands of people who may only have had a few weeks or months from diagnosis to death – if they even managed to be diagnosed before they died.
“With no effective treatment available in the 1980s, there was little hope for those diagnosed with HIV, facing debilitating illness and certain death within years,” says Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of the HIV department at WHO.
1 December 2018 marks the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day – a day created to raise awareness about HIV and the resulting AIDS epidemics. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 70 million people have acquired the infection, and about 35 million people have died. Today, around 37 million worldwide live with HIV, of whom 22 million are on treatment
After careful examination of the great impact housing wields on public health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released some housing guidelines to boost the health of people rather than jeopardize it.
The guidelines, contained in a press statement from the WHO’s office in Geneva, Switzerland, noted that improved housing conditions can save lives, reduce disease, increase quality of life, reduce poverty, help mitigate climate change and contribute to the achievement of a number of Sustainable Development Goals, in particular those addressing Health (SDG 3) and Sustainable Cities (SDG 11).
Housing structures in Africa.
While analyzing the implications of housing qualities on peoples’ health, the document observed that poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea.
The statement further stressed the importance of housing to public health due to demographic and climate changes.
The statement reads in part: The guidelines provide new evidence-based recommendations on how to reduce major health risks associated with poor housing conditions in 4 areas:
Inadequate living space (crowding)
Low and high indoor temperatures
Injury hazards in the home
Accessibility of housing for people with functional impairments.
They further identify and summarize existing WHO guidance relevant to housing.
The WHO Housing and health guidelines highlight the significant co-benefits of interventions to improve housing conditions. For example, installing efficient and safe thermal insulation can improve indoor temperatures that support health, while also lowering expenditure on energy and reducing carbon emissions.
Report of events at the just concluded 91st Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), held at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, will be uncompleted without mentioning the birthday celebration of one of the oldest pharmacists alive, in the person of Fellow (Chief) S. A. Akinabi, who clocked 92 years during the conference.
Fellow (Chief) S. A. Akinabi, seated, while other fellows cheered him up with birthday song.
Fellow Akinabi’s birthday, which coincided with the Board of Fellows (BoF)’s Election Day, was marked at the election venue, where he was also actively present to exchange pleasantries with colleagues, during the process, which brought up the new crop of BoF’s executives.
L-R: Pharm.(Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher of Pharmanews; Prof. Bona Obiorah; Emeritus Professor Ajibola Olaniyi; all classmates at OAU 1964 Diploma and 1967 B. Pharm; with Prof. Adio Ogunbona, former chairman PCN (standing) .
It is worthy of mention that the Pharmacy profession is blessed to have some nonagenarians alive and still active. A few of them are: Pharm. (Chief) Ayo Fasanmi, the celebrant, Fellow (Chief) Akinabi, Pharm. (Chief) Oludolapo Akinkugbe, who will turn 90 in a couple of days, and others.
Fellow S. A. Akinabi,(middle) appreciating BoF executives who felicitated with him at the meeting.
