It has been celebration galore amidst pharmacists in Lagos State, as the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has recently approved the creation of Consultant Pharmacist Cadre in the scheme of service.

The pharmacists, who described the recent upgrading as a good development, prayed the governor for the speedy implementation of the new cadre, in order to perfect the process.

According to the circular signed and sent from the office of the Head of Service, Folashade Adeoye, to notify the public on the development, the approval of the Consultant Pharmacist Cadre is in line with global best practices, and in furtherance of quality healthcare in the state.

“This gesture, which further demonstrates the present administration’s commitment to professional fulfillment and career development provides the opportunity for pharmacists to attain the zenith of their careers in the state public service”, it stated.

Contrary to previous scheme, the new scheme of service as regard the pharmacist cadre will henceforth be as follows:

Intern Pharmacist                                                                            Grade Level 09

Pharmacist                                                                                      Grade Level   10

Senior Pharmacist                                                                           Grade Level   12

Principal Pharmacist                                                                        Grade Level 13

Chief Pharmacist                                                                            Grade Level 14

Consultant Pharmacist II/Assistant Director                                   Grade Level 15

Consultant Pharmacist I/Deputy Director/Director                       Grade Level 16

Chief Consultant Pharmacist/Director                                         Grade Level 17

Following the approval of the consultant cadre, the Lagos State PSN has sent a letter of appreciation to the governor, for his good gesture towards pharmacists in the state.

The Lagos State PSN, in a letter to Governor Akinwunmi  Ambode, dated May 15, 2018, and signed by the Chairman, Mrs. Bolanle Adeniran, said: “This serves to convey the appreciation of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (Lagos State Chapter) to the Governor for giving his assent to the much awaited creation of the Consultant Pharmacist Cadre in the Scheme of Service of Lagos State Government.

“This is a testament to the global best practice expected of a Centre of Excellence. It will eventually ensure that the professionals will be able to practice to the best of their ability in enhancing patient- centred healthcare services”, she said.

Towards the forthcoming Great Ife Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association (GIPAA) GIPAA convention, the Conference Planning Committee has released the programme of events as follows:

Day 3: Thursday, 24th May 2018

Opening Ceremony / Keynote Address

GIPAA Chairman opening address-Chief Bunmi Olaopa

Keynote address speaker:  Prof Fola Tayo.

Pro-Chancellor & Chairman,

Governing Council, Caleb University, Imota, Nigeria

@ Faculty of Pharmacy Building   10.00am – 12pm

Tea Break            12.00 – 1.00pm

Symposium        1.00 – 3.00pm

SYMPOSIUM TOPICS

Local Sourcing of Pharmaceutical Raw Materials

Prof. (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Odeku

Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Local Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals:

Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo

Group Managing Director, Drug field Pharmaceuticals Limited

Challenges of Pharmaceutical Marketing in Nigeria

Pharm. Nnamdi  Okafor

Managing Director/ CEO; May & Baker Nigeria Plc

Availability and Affordability of Quality Pharmaceuticals

Pharm. Matthew O. Azoji

MD/CEO: CHAN Medi-Pharm Ltd/Gte

Walk against Drug Abuse  4pm

Day 4 Friday, 25th May: Alumni Day 1

Commissioning/Unveiling of Alumni Projects    9 – 10am

Class Sets and GIPAA Meetings                 10am – 1pm

All Alumni AGM 11.00am – 1.30pm

Jumat Service    1.30 – 3.00pm

Novelty Match 4.00 – 5.00pm

Faculty Dinner and Global Award Ceremony

@Faculty Hall                  6.00 – 9.00pm

Day 5 Saturday, 26th May 2018: Alumni Day 2

Alumni interactions  10.00 – 11.00am

City Tour              11.00am

Early Departure

For ease of accommodating all members of the Great Ife Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association (GIPAA), towards the forthcoming  conference of the association, the Conference Planning Committee has compiled the list of available hotels for the programme.

This is to enhance easy booking of accommodation for all members, who will be attending the convention, which is slated for 22 to 27 of May, 2018 in Ife.

Below is the list of hotels available for the conference:

Diganga Hotel

Diganga Reloaded Hotel

Cameron Hotel

Hotel De Treasure

Xela Hotels

Hilton Hotel

Ivory Tower Hotel

Celebration Hotel

KrisCourt

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos State branch, has described the recent ban on the issuance of permits, for the importation of codeine, by the Federal Government as a wrong step, taken in a wrong direction.

This was disclosed recently at the secretariat of the association, during a press briefing to intimate the public on the stand of the ACPN on the ban, as well to call for immediate closure of all open drug markets, reconstitution of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) board, and restructuring of the chaotic drug distribution in the country.

Addressing the press, the Chairman of the association, Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, noted with dismay that the ban would not be so effective, as it would only result in pushing up the acquisition cost of codeine, as the old available stocks would now be sold secretly by charlatans.

He stated further that the outright ban of codeine has denied some citizens  access to medications that are needed to cater for their health, as it has been observed that  not everyone that uses the drug,  abuse it. “For instance, should we say because people drive carelessly and have auto accidents, the use of vehicles should now be banned? Certainly not, but this was exactly what the federal government has done”.

According to him, codeine-containing cough syrup is not hazardous as all the news revolving around it and its outright ban by the federal government suggested, and banning of a particular product is not an outright solution to solving the problem of drug abuse in the country.

The ACPN boss, however, stated that immediate dismantling of all open drug markets, across the country, is the immediate panacea to the menace of substance abuse in the country, noting that federal government should once and for all be decisive in implementing the Drug Distribution Policy, rather than dragging the foot on it.

Obideyi also asserted that the federal government should as a matter of urgency constitute the board of PCN, saying this would pave way for the discipline of any erring member of the pharmacy profession, who violates  laws guiding distribution and dispensing of pharmaceutical products. “PCN on its part should carry out routine monitoring so as to ensure that only registered wholesale and retail pharmacies do bulk distribution and dispensing to patients respectively,” he advised.

“NAFDAC, the sole agency of government charged with issuing permits, authorisation and registration of medicine, should stop issuing permits and registration to the endless number of companies applying to manufacture the abused products, while those already granted authorisation should be regularly monitored to ensure they are not exceeding the production limits approved for them”,  he said.

On her part, Pharm. Abiola Paul-Ozieh, immediate past chairman, ACPN, asserted that government should be held responsible for the continued abuse of pharmaceuticals, arguing that government delay in closing open drug markets and implementing the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG) which would have corrected the chaotic drug distribution system, while bringing about easy recall of defected products remained the root cause of drug abuse in Nigeria.

While maintaining that the ban on codeine was against the UN position on narcotics, which provides that narcotic drugs could be used within the framework of medical purposes, she said codeine is not only used as a cough suppressant but can also be used as a pain reliever, adding that the major implication was that those addicted to the drug will become desperate and may become violent. “They would do anything to try to get it, and that would put pressure on the distribution system such that they would be willing to pay anything to have it”, Paul-Ozieh said.

The ACPN former boss, further accused government of paying lip service to the fight against drug abuse, said government lacks the political will to put order into the chaotic drug distribution system, saying there is need for the country to address the issue of drug abuse holistically and find ways of rehabilitating those Nigerians that are affected.

Also speaking, Pharm. (Alh) Aminu Abdulsalam reiterated the fact that the Federal Government should not have just banned the product suddenly, as every ban should follow a process or procedure. According to him, since it takes almost one year to get a license for manufacturing these drugs or importing them, it should also take a little time to effect a ban on the products.

He stated that he would have expected the Federal Minister of Health to place a suspension first on importation and production of these products first. Then, call for an audit of these drugs so that they can be sure of what is still in circulation. He explained that some people would have had these products coming into the country and that these people, as well as those that already have these products in stock, would have suffered economic loss.

Speaking in the same vein, the duo of Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Lagos State branch, and Pharm. Bola Oyawole, said that the ban was not a solution to the problem on the ground, saying the outright closure of open drug markets scattered all over the country would stop abuse and guarantee the safety of Nigerians.

According to the duo, the nation’s drug industry has been neglected for decades by the government and was made worse by appointment of the wrong person into the position of the Director General, NAFDAC, by the last administration, a situation they said, led to charlatans and hawkers taking advantage of the lapse to carry out illicit trading in medicines.

Also in attendance at the press briefing were the secretary, ACPN, Pharm. Okotie Jonah; editor-in-chief, Pharm. Paul Owolabi; treasurer, Pharm. George Agbude; vice-chairman, Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator, among others.

The prolonged exclusion of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from the seaports and borders of the country has finally been lifted on Wednesday 16 May, 2018, as the agency received a letter to that effect from the office of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

The agency, through a press release said this was done to effectively control importation of unregulated products, falsified and substandard drugs, unwholesome foods, narcotic drugs and hazardous chemical substances and foods.

“ NAFDAC received the notice yesterday, May 16, 2018 in a letter dated 29^th March, 2018 from the office of His Excellency, the Vice-President, as part of the PEBEC reforms”, the release stated.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye, lamented the huge loss the absence of the agency had cost the citizens since 2011, saying thousands of Nigerians have died as a result of falsified and substandard medicines.  “Many are currently ill, most likely due to unwholesome foods, drugs and abuse of narcotics and controlled substances, such as codeine, tramadol, pentazocine, etc. These are partly due to exclusion of NAFDAC from our ports since 2011. The recent documentary on codeine abuse brought more attention to the issue”.

The document reads in part:

“Aside from the dangers posed to public health, involvement of our youths in abuse of drugs weakens our national development, economy and nation building as a result of accompanied side effects of abuse, i.e., disruption of life goals, ideals and families. Moreover, the threat to our national security, due to criminality and terrorism that often result from such abuse is obvious.

“The need for the return of NAFDAC officials to the ports and borders has been emphasized in different fora by the new NAFDAC’s DG but received a boost in the Communique issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser at the end of the National Chemical Security Training Conference in Abuja on 16^th March, 2018. The theme of the conference was “Towards a Secured Importation, Distribution, Storage and Use of Chemicals in Nigeria”.  

“NAFDAC wishes to commend again the Office of the NSA, the Chemical Society of Nigeria, The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN) and other key stakeholders for recognizing NAFDAC as a key player in the national security architecture by this singular act of restoring the presence of NAFDAC officials at all designated ports of entry and land borders.

“Our Agency will work with the Nigeria Customs Service, The Shippers Council and other sister agencies in ensuring that foods, drugs, chemicals and other NAFDAC regulated products that pose danger to our population are controlled at the point of entry.

“NAFDAC at the ports will ensure that dangerous drugs or substances of abuse, many times falsely shipped as building materials, electrical appliances, computer accessories, etc. will be intercepted at the point of entry.  In addition, the presence of NAFDAC at the ports and borders will reduce significantly the evasion of payments of statutory fees for importation of regulated products, thus increasing the Agency’s internally generated revenue and that of the federal government”.

Some medical experts have identified hypertension as the most common non-communicable disease in Nigeria and called for more awareness of the need for checkups, healthy diet and lifestyle to guard against it.

The experts spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, as Nigeria joins other nations to celebrate the 2018 World Hypertension Day (WHD).

WHD is a day to promote awareness of hypertension and encourage people to prevent and control this silent killer, referred to many as the modern epidemic.

The celebration had the theme: “Know Your Numbers With a Goal of Increasing High Blood Pressure (BP) Awareness in all Populations Around the World’’.

Afolabi Akinkunmi, a cardiologist, said hypertension remained the most frequently diagnosed cardiovascular disorder in Nigeria.

Mr Akinkumi, who works at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, lamented that most people are yet to be aware of the disease.”According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the prevalence of hypertension is highest in African countries at 46 per cent of adults, aged 25- years and above.

“Hypertension is an indication for the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, kidney disease, and other related disorders.

“With the passage of time, the blood vessels gradually lose their elasticity, and this may lead to rise in systolic pressure when the heart contracts,’’ he told

On the causes, Mr Akinkumi said hypertension could be the consequences of medical conditions.

“Hypertension precipitated by other disease conditions in the body is called secondary hypertension.

“Secondary hypertension includes adrenal gland tumor, blocked renal artery, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney diseases, endocrine diseases, obesity and nutritional causes,’’ he said.

According to him, environmental factors that contribute to hypertension include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and eating of high-fat diet, high-salt diet, caffeine and tobacco.

“Metabolic risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and raised blood lipids can also contribute to the development of hypertension and its complications.

“I advise hypertensive patients to maintain a suitable diet, nutritional supplements, exercise and proper stress management,’’ he said.

Mildred Akanu, a general physician, said that the symptoms of hypertension were rarely apparent.

“Hypertension is not often accompanied by any symptom and its identification is usually through screening or when seeking healthcare for an unrelated problem.

“Most hypertensive drugs do not cure hypertension but can only reduce blood pressure and control the condition,’’ she said.

Ayodeji Abdulrasheed, a dietician, at StaMed Nutritional and Health Services, urged the general public to adopt a healthy diet to reduce cardiovascular related diseases.

Mr Abdulrasheed said there were several types of cardiovascular related diseases but high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, was the number one risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

According to him, eating food rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium can help to lower blood pressure and prevent risks of heart failure.

“People living with high blood pressure should adopt diet that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium-rich food especially salt.

“For people with high blood pressure, they should watch out for salt in their meals; too much salt or sodium can cause the body to retain fluid, which increases the blood pressure.

“Such people should always ensure they eat food rich in nutrients which include protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish.

“People should also limit the amount of alcohol intake as alcohol can raise blood pressure, even if the person does have hypertension,’’ he said.

“Everyone should monitor his alcohol intake and other fizzy drinks.

“We also advise people to abstain from smoking as it has a dangerous effect on the heart and also endangers the lives of people around them,’’ he said.

The doctor urged people with family history of heart related disease to go for comprehensive screening to ensure timely detection that would prevent its danger.

“It is important for everybody to always monitor his/her blood pressure, get active, eat healthy, maintain healthy weight and watch cholesterol level to keep the heart healthy.

“There is need to prevent high blood pressure in order to reduce mortality attributed to hypertension,’’ he said.

Ikeoluwapo Adesina, a 62-year-old retiree, said he had been living with high blood pressure for over 10 years.

“I started to have unusual persistent headaches, loss of vision and difficulty in sleeping at night with a feeling that my heart was pumping hard.

“I went to see my doctor who checked my blood pressure and said it was high.

“He had to check me for weeks, with the rates fluctuating; he diagnosed that I have hypertension and placed me on medication.

“I take my medication every day, drink a lot of water, eat fruits and vegetables and ensure that I exercise regularly. It has helped,’’ he said.

The retiree advised members of the public to consult doctors when feeling unusual or observing unusual symptoms,’’ Mr Adesina said.

Pharm. Chukwuemeka Obi, chief operating officer, PharmacyPlus Limited, was recently treated to a surprise birthday party.

The colourful party, put together by his wife, Mrs Eunice Obi, professional colleagues and company staff, was held at the company’s conference hall in Oregun, Lagos.

Obi who had sauntered into the conference room in response to a request for an emergency meeting with the staff, was astounded when he discovered that he had entered into his own birthday venue, with sumptuous cakes and excited well-wishers awaiting him.

While confessing that he never thought such a prank could be played on him, Obi said he kept wondering how an “emergency meeting” could metamorphose into a surprise birthday party in his honour.

Addressing the audience, Mr Olumide Elutade, one of PharmacyPlus executives (Lagos region) explained that the event was put together to celebrate a man whose life had impacted on them positively.

“This afternoon, we gathered for the testimony of a man who has impacted so many lives. In churches, worshippers call their overseers ‘Daddy G.O.’ but here in this company we call our boss ‘Daddy COO’.I want to use this special occasion to appreciate his resilience,” he enthused.

On her part, Mrs Eunice Obi, wife of the celebrant showered encomium on her hubby, saying that she is blessed to have him as a partner.

“Right from the time I married him to date, he has brought love and joy into my life. I am not only proud of his achievements, I am also bold to call him my husband,” she remarked.

Her last statement gave way to a rousing ovation from the audience who kept on applauding her as she hugged her spouse.

When earlier informed about the surprise birthday party, Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, managing director of New Heights Pharmaceuticals noted that he was amazed.

“I kept wondering what exactly they meant to celebrate. It later dawned on me that we are always waiting for one special occasion to celebrate one another in this part of the world. Emeka is a great guy and we are proud to equally celebrate with the staff,” he emphasised.

Henry Okorafor, managing partner, Henri Consulting Limited urged the company staff to learn from the celebrant’s exemplary lifestyle, adding that he knows God still has greater plans for him to accomplish.

Emamoke Gbobodo, managing director, Baked Treats Confectionery seemed to be in agreement with Okoroafor when he described the PharmacyPlus boss as great friend whom anybody would be willing to hear talk because of his profound wisdom.

The high points of the event were the vibrant prayer session, the cutting of the birthday cake and the lighthearted talks as the guests continued to congratulate Obi on his achievements.

In attendance were Mrs Olubunmi Omaruaye, director, New Heights Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Felix Anyanwu, key accounts business manager, New Heights Pharma; Pharm. Paul Ibeanuka, celebrant’s business associate; Mr Peter Inekwe, managing director, GreenMeans Healthcare and Pharm. Nimi Okorafor, chief operating officer, Niche Pharma Limited.

Others were Mr. Emeka Enemuoh, chief operating officer, Alpha Zeros Nigeria Limited; Mr. Fola Sogbesan, chief executive officer, Optix Limited; Sayo Odunsi, chief executive officer, 360 Degrees; Jude Elue, chief executive officer, Rockforth Pharma; Pharm. Agnes Elue, superintendent pharmacist, Rockforth Pharma; Mr Akonte Ekine, lead strategist, Absolute PR Limited; Pharm. Olayemi Ilori, regional manager, PharmacyPlus; Mr Chinedu Ohaegbulem, logistics officer, New Heights Pharma and Pharm. Olumide Elutade, PharmacyPlus representative for Lagos region.

Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industrial Limited, one of the companies whose factories were shut down following a BBC documentary on the unethical distribution of codeine-containing syrups in the country, has further opened up on the issue.

Addressing a press conference at its head office on Sunday, Dr Stella Okoli MON, chairman/group managing director, Emzor Group, said that she had been inundated with requests for clarification on negative stories trending online about the company.

“As you are all aware, on Monday, 30 April, 2018, the BBC broadcast a documentary on the abuse of codeine syrup in Nigeria, especially in the northern states. In the said documentary, one of our products, Emzolyn with codeine, was featured. On 2 May, NAFDAC officials from the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, conducted an inspection of our factory and were given full access to all the records they requested. We are happy to announce that after carrying out all necessary due diligence, NAFDAC has now reopened the factory.

“As parents and especially a mother, I am deeply saddened by the problem of drug abuse and its damaging effects on our children and youths. Even more painful is the fact that a genuine therapeutic product, made for the relief of a specific illness, has been turned into a substance of abuse,” she said.

Okoli commended the federal government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant agencies for their prompt response to what she described as “a serious matter of deep concern to Nigerians.”

She added that NAFDAC, after due inspections is satisfied that Emzor’s manufacturing processes conform to all laid down procedures and also has valid Good Manufacturing Practice certifications.

The Emzor boss therefore called for collective effort, cautioning detractors to desist from using the codeine saga to score cheap political points.

“We must not fail to always condemn what is wrong. That was why I mentioned earlier that everybody must get involved. We must not be seen making political statements to score cheap points.

“I am quite humbled by the empathy and love Nigerians have shown us. People kept calling and texting to ask how we were doing. We are fully committed to quality. The events of these past two weeks have only served to further strengthen that commitment,” she said.

On how the company was caught in the web of BBC’s “Sweet, Sweet Codeine” video documentary that went viral, Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke, executive director, Emzor Group, told journalists that the management saw the six-minute video clip online just like everybody else.

“I was heartbroken after watching the clip because there was nothing ‘sweet, sweet’ about that codeine documentary. Nevertheless, we set a panel to investigate the veracity of the report and necessary steps were taken,” she said.

Ezeoke disclosed that aside from relieving the sales representative indicted in the video, his photographs and personal details were submitted to both the police and NAFDAC officials (based on request) for necessary action.

“We are equally saddened by the fact that this is the first time a NAFDAC enforcement and investigation team would be coming into Emzor’s premises because they have no business here. Unless there is violation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), I am still wondering how a documentary alone should lead to the closure of a factory.

“We would like to use this medium to put the record straight that only the codeine syrup plant was shut down, not the entire company,” she noted.

In reassurance of its quality control, the executive director reiterated that for every manufacturing process carried out in their premises, Emzor has met its cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements.

“We don’t cut corners but focus more on quality which we built our reputation on. Like most countries, our demography is skewed towards the youth. You cannot afford to be on the wrong side with them.

“It is unfortunate that we found ourselves as a ‘key selling point’ for the BBC documentary. All eyes were on us even when others were mentioned. To compound the issue, we heard that the BBC documentary viewing took place at Sheraton here and nobody invited us. Is that fair?” she quipped.

Ezeoke expressed gratitude to the company’s loyal customers and stakeholders for their patience, support and understanding while the incident lasted.

– As Ilorin hosts NAIP 21st national confab

Professor Moji Adeyeye, director general, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has bemoaned the continual absence of inspectors at the seaports, saying it is making things easier for fake drug merchants to bring in sundry products into the country.

Speaking at the historic national conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) held at Kwara Hotel, Ilorin on 18 April, the NAFDAC boss declared that despite confiscating truckloads and containers of fake drugs from greedy and unscrupulous elements, there is an urgent need to tighten the nation’s porous borders.

Adeyeye, who was the keynote speaker at the conference themed: “Imperatives for National Drug Security”, also stated that the huge dependence of the nations’ health system on imported medicines, chaotic drug distribution, and the presence of the open drug markets are serious challenges that must be properly addressed.

She decried the high volume of pharmaceutical importation, noting that it is inappropriate that local manufacturers only produce 20 to 30 per cent of the nation’s drug needs.

The NAFDAC boss declared that the situation calls for more commitment from governments at all levels and other stakeholders to ensure national drug security.

Urging local pharmaceutical manufacturers to collaborate and manufacture Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), locally through partnership with foreign allies, she equally charged the Nigerian government to support local manufacturers through access to loans, pharmaceutical raw materials and needed infrastructure.

Meanwhile Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, governor of Kwara State has canvassed stiffer penalties for importers of fake and substandard in the country.

Speaking through his deputy chief of staff, Mr Leke Ogungbe, Ahmed explained that the significance of Kwara State in the Nigerian health sector is huge.

“Aside from having great pharma brands like Tuyil Pharmaceuticals, Bioraj Pharma, Peace Standard Pharmaceuticals among others, Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was here last year to commission MAH Healthcare, a-state-of-the-art health institution.

“In the meantime, this administration together with the cooperation of Kwara State pharmacists will continue to provide good and quality healthcare to my people,” he reassured.

Applauding the gesture of the governor, Pharm. Ignatius Anukwu, national chairman, Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) remarked that he shared the same view as the governor.

To further highlight the burgeoning nature of Kwara pharma industry, the NAIP helmsman added that it was heartwarming to note that all NAIP members in the state were manufacturers, not importers.

“However I implore His Excellency (Gov. Ahmed) to help allocate a parcel of land to build a secretariat for NAIP members in the State,” he said.

Addressing participants at the opening ceremony of the national conference, Anukwu noted that the four-day confab was designed to deliver three key objectives namely: to create an atmosphere free from distractions for industrial pharmacists to deliberate on pertinent topical issues around the theme of the conference; to create room for networking and recreation that would forge stronger bonds of camaraderie among his members; and to expose younger generation of pharmacists and pharmacists-to-be to the workings of NAIP.

In a related development, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has sent a goodwill message to the leadership of the association.

Speaking through the national secretary, Pharm. Emeka Duru, Yakasai lauded NAIP for a successful national conference being the first time such would be hosted outside Lagos after 41 years.

The four-day conference featured a welcome cocktail, courtesy visit to Kwara State governor, excursion to Esien Museum, presentation of awards, and a walk against fake drugs, led by Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, wife of the state governor.

Other dignitaries who attended the event were Pharm. Peter Iliya, deputy director, public relations, Pharmacists Councils of Nigeria (PCN); Dr Obalolu Ojo, former NAIP chairman; Pharm. Ade Popoola, managing director, Reals Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Gbenga Falabi, immediate past president, NAIP; Pharm. Emma Ekunno, former managing director, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Michael Heavens, chairman, conference planning committee and Pharm. Chinedu Nwuliu, 2nd national vice chairman, NAIP.

Others included Dr Matthew Okedare, deputy speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly; Pharm. Lasisi Durowoju, chairman, NAIP (Kwara Chapter); Pharm. Gbenga Bambe, technical director, Tuyil Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Emeka Adimoha, superintendent pharmacist, Shalina Healthcare; Mrs Roseline Ajayi, deputy director, Kwara State coordinator, NAFDAC; Kishin Murjani, managing director, Biomedical Limited and Dr. Kamaldeen Abu-saeed, superintendent pharmacist, Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Industries Limited.

Until the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) Board is constituted, enforcement of disciplinary action on erring pharmacists may be an utopian concept, as the society has got no power to implement disciplinary action without  the board in place, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Lagos State Branch, Pharm.(Mrs) Bolanle  Adeniran has said.

The chairman, who spoke with Pharmanews during the monthly general meeting of the association, held Thursday, 10 May, 2018, said the absence of the board for two to three years now has left so much vacuum in the various aspects of the profession, thus, she called on the government to establish the board as soon as possible.

Her words: “PSN as a society has rules and regulations  guiding the operations of  her members, but the disciplinary aspect of it is the responsibility of the PCN board, and unless the board is constituted, all our efforts in inspecting pharmacies and patent medicine vendors  will be activities in futility.

“We are calling on the government to rise up to the task and do the needful, by setting up the board, because the absence of the board has had several negative impacts on the profession”, she stressed.

Reacting to the role played by the pharmacist in the BBC documentary, she described the Emzor’s representative as a disgrace to the profession, stating that any pharmacist caught violating the rules and regulation guiding the distribution of controlled drugs will henceforth be sanctioned.

“We have sounded it loud and clear that nobody will be spared any longer, even if pharmacists are involved, the law will have its full course, because we are supposed to be caring for the health of the populace, we are not to jeopardise their health .If pharmacists are caught doing what is wrong, they will be dealt with”, she warned.

Also speaking with the immediate past chairman of the branch, Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale,  in an interview during the meeting, he opined that the outright ban of codeine importation is not the solution to the problem of illegal distribution of controlled drugs, as smugglers will definitely have their ways in smuggling the drug into the country, due to the porous borders.

Olubowale, who noted the essence of research into the root cause of illegal drug distribution, which he charged the government to look into, said it could be traced to the open drug markets in the country, and until the issue is dealt with, the problem will persist. He said prior to the revealing BBC documentary, pharmacists have been calling government’s attention, to the increasing incidence of drug abuse in the country, but no one seems to hear, until an international correspondent had to open it up.

He said: ”Does it mean that we don’t believe in our own report any longer that we have to wait for a foreign correspondence to tell us what to do? And suddenly, the minister of health, federal ministry of health, NAFDAC, everybody started making a reactionary approach, which is wrong. Banning codeine is not the solution, because up till now, and till tomorrow, codeine will still be used in certain critical treatment. What is needed is for us to control the usage, to ensure that codeine gets to only those who need it.

“Accessibility to codeine and other dangerous drugs need to be controlled, but the root cause of this problem can be traced to the open drug markets, which are the sources of chaotic drug distribution in the country, and no one seems to be addressing it.

“For close to three to four years now, we have had in place the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), but the government has not deemed it fit for implementation, as they have been shifting the goal post till date. Now they have told us that by January 2019, hopefully, that it will come to place, but I don’t think this is feasible, because by January 2019, the government of the day will be preparing for election, and they will be careful not to hurt these people involved in illegal activity, because they need their votes”, he stated.

On the activities of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Committee (PIC) in curbing unauthorised dealers of drugs in the society, Pharm. Tayo Adeogun, narrated the outcome of the last outing of the committee to the members. He said they inspected Mushin, Papa Ajao, Ilasamaja areas on 24 April, 2018, and sealed a total of 60 premises which were not licensed to dispense drugs.

He noted that after they have been penalised, the non-licensed drug dealers were mandated to sign an affidavit, to ensure that they do not engage in illegal activity any longer. To further curb their activities, they were directed to sell off their premises to pharmacists for better drug distribution.

Chief Bunmi Olaopa, is the Chairman of the Great Ife Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association (GIPAA).In this exclusive interview with Pharmanews, Chief Olaopa revealed some interesting features of the forthcoming GIPAA conference, as he urged all members to be in attendance.

Excerpt below:

As the chairman of the forthcoming Great Ife Convention, what are the preparations towards the programme?

The year 2018 Great Ife Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association (GIPAA) Convention is coming up on 22 to 27 of May, 2018 in Ife. It is divided into two parts; one is the academic session, which will run from Monday to Wednesday and the non-academic aspect of it, will run from Thursday through Saturday, in order for people to leave on Sunday.

We are expecting attendance from the diaspora and not just those of us in Nigeria; we have alumni who are residents in the US, UK and other countries. This is the first formal meeting we will be having, after the 50^th anniversary, which attracted a lot of alumni then.

What year was the 50^th anniversary?

That was in the year 2013. So, this is the very first time that we will be going back to Ife and will stay for 2-3 days. This will allow alumni members to visit the faculty and seek first hand areas of support that GIPAA can give to the faculty, so that we can retain our pride of place in the training of pharmacists in Nigeria.

GIPAA has been very active of late, through the various sets. We decided to adopt a set model, whereby every set can pick a project of their choice in the faculty. To date, we have had some sets like the 1988 and 1991 sets, which have refurnished the two major faculty lecture theatres, another set donated a 150KVA generator to the faculty and another set has beautified the frontage of the faculty.

So, we realised it is easier for birds of a feather to flock together, meaning it is easier for each set to come together and do something for the faculty. Aside from this, there are other areas where all of us will have to collaborate as a body and not as sets, to confront the current problems facing us. We are talking of areas like making sure we have enough reagents in the laboratories.

There are five laboratories that can be refurbished at the cost of 10 million naira each, which means, we are talking about 50 million naira.  If we decide to raise this amount, it shouldn’t be difficult for a faculty that has been in existence for over 50 years. We are hoping that during this reunion, issues like this will be tackled and solutions will be proffered.

We are also aware that the faculty is getting ready to start the Pharm.D programme, and a lot of preparations need to be made towards this. We need the clinical simulation laboratory, which will cost about 16 million naira. There is also the need to recruit more staff in this area so that, we won’t just start and stop, as we have less than two years to accomplish this.

We believe that coming together will make it easier for us to generate more ideas on how to tackle these problems. We know that we have the electronic media with which we communicate, we have the Whatsapp and e-mail, but it is never the same as seeing one another face to face and exchange ideas.

Again, I think the arrangement is okay, because at least almost everyone of us goes back home to our villages by December to see old friends, in the same vein, there will be lots of socials also taking place during these three days. Thus, we look forward to a lot of the alumni members attending.

Do you have any idea on how many members are likely to be in attendance?

Been the very first one, we think people should be excited to come and we believe that not everyone will stay for three days. We are expecting about three to five hundred members to attend.

What is the plan to accommodate members for the event?

There are a lot of hotels in Ife now, and we have already published the lists of available hotels through the social media. Yes, there will be enough accommodation for them, because we have the Conference Centre, to accommodate faculty alumni, and the university alumni also have a hotel accommodation.

Are there any prominent figures in Nigeria that you think would be coming?

Yes. You will realise that the Great Ife was the first to produce pharmacy students in Nigeria and many of them have matured into big men. Even from the alumni itself, we have quite a number of people that we hope to attend.

We expect eminent pharmacists like Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi;  Joseph  Odumodu, the former DG of  SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, CEO, Juhel Nigeria Ltd; Sam  Nda- Isaiah, publisher, Leadership Newspapers; Jimi Agbaje; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Ltd  and  many others are expected to be there. Many of them that are now owners of big businesses as well as those that are not even practicing pharmacy will surely be present.

They were present during the 50^th anniversary and we are expecting to see them again. The reunion lecture would be given by Prof. Fola Tayo, as the Managing Director of May and Baker, Nnamdi Okafor, and  Managing Director of Drugfield, Pharm. Olakunle  Ekundayo,  would be delivering lectures during the sessions of the programme.

Are there no alumni that are capable of delivering the lectures?

There are so many alumni members that are more than capable to give the lectures, but we want to learn from others and see others’ performance.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down all the product lines of the three pharmaceutical firms being investigated for illegal distribution of codeine-containing cough syrup.

The NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye listed the affected companies as: Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Limited, Ilorin; Bioraj Pharmaceutical Limited, Ilorin; and Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industry Ltd, Lagos.

Prof. Adeyeye, who spoke through a press release from her office, explained why it became imperative for the agency to take the bold step, as the officials of the firms allegedly failed to provide necessary documents during the inspection conducted by NAFDAC officials on 2 May, 2018 at their various companies in Ilorin and Lagos, respectively.

The statement reads in part:

“Due to insufficient evidence gathered and apparent resistance to provide needed documents during our inspection on 2 May , 2018 at the respective companies in Ilorin and Lagos,  it has become necessary to shut down all product lines of the three companies – Peace Standard Pharmaceutical Limited, Plots 3 & 8, Adewole Industrial Estate, Lubcon Avenue, Ilorin, Kwara State; Bioraj Pharmaceutical Limited,  No 405 Kaima Road, Ilorin, Kwara State and Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ind. Ltd, Ajao Estate, Lagos.  This is to allow for a full and comprehensive investigation. The three companies therefore remain closed.

“The reopening of the manufacturing companies will depend on the level of cooperation that is shown during the comprehensive investigation”, she asserted.

Prior to the drastic decision of the agency, it was stated that the NAFDAC DG had issued a directive to all stakeholders involved in the production of codeine-containing medicines, to hold an emergency meeting on how to strengthen the weakness in the control of the manufacturing and distribution of codeine-containing medicines.

The stakeholders are: Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG- MAN); Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN); Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN); National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC);  National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN).

Still on how to stem the tide on the illegal distribution of the drug,  it was further stated that  Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye called for an emergency meeting with the PMG-MAN executives  to discuss critical issues relating to codeine- containing cough syrup together with other controlled substances.

The Director General further constituted a Task Force to be made up of NAFDAC Directors- Registration and Regulatory Affairs; Narcotics and Controlled Substances; and Drug Evaluation and Research. Members of PMG-MAN in the committee included the Executive Secretary of PMG-MAN; Fidson Healthcare; May & Baker PLC; and Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries.

Going forward, the agency sent a team of nine NAFDAC officers (2 from Drug and Evaluation Research and 7 from Investigation & Enforcement) and ten mobile police officers to Ilorin, Kwara State on 2 May, 2018 to carry out investigational inspection at the companies of the two pharmaceutical companies that are licensed to manufacture codeine-containing syrup, and which were implicated in the BBC documentary.

The document revealed that the same investigational inspection by a different NAFDAC team took place on the same day and time as the Ilorin companies at the manufacturing facility of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ind. Ltd., Ajao Estate, Lagos.

The focus of the assignment was to access and monitor from records the utilization, sales and effective distribution of the codeine containing cough syrups to the end users.

However, the agency discovered that executives of the affected companies were not willing to comply with the enforcement team, as they delayed in producing the necessary documents for the inspection. Hence, the temporary closure of the companies, the statement revealed.

While the companies remain closed, the stakeholders will be in regular discussion with the agency, as full investigation continues.