For the Nigerian communities to be effectively rid of drug abuse and misuse, all hands must be on deck to checkmate the menace, as pharmacists, parents/guardians and government have got key roles to play, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Lagos State branch, Pharm.(Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran has said.
The PSN chairman, who was fielding questions from press men during the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) noted that the degree of drug abuse in the society has gone beyond the reach of pharmacists only, as secondary school students are now involved in the practice.
“As far as drug abuse and misuse is concerned, everybody has a role to play in it -pharmacists, parents/guardians , teachers and more importantly, the government have to join hands together to fight this menace of drug abuse and misuse”, she stated.
Cross-section of Lagos State PSN members at the event
Adeniran, who decried the activities of these underdogs in the society, said governments at all levels need to support pharmacists in monitoring and inspecting all areas in the state in order to expose the evil practices of those involved in drug abuse and misuse.
Explaining how and why people get into drug abuse, she said some members of the public get into the act willingly, as a means of getting out of their frustrations and to satisfy the need to feel high. Whereas, some adults, and more especially students are being lured into the practice through their peers.
She however expressed her worry for these people, saying if they know and understand the negative impact of drug abuse and misuse, they will in no wise have engaged in it. “The government more importantly should do everything possible in the area of monitoring, and root out these people from the society. They are the ones destroying our children, as it has got to the stage that it is no longer safe to take ordinary Coke”, she quipped.
Speaking on the group’s goal for the new year, she said it is the intention of the Lagos PSN, to have a conducive practice environment for members, stating that they are going to go all out, to ensure that the feat is achieved.
“Our intention for our people is to have a conducive practice environment, and whatever it takes, especially in the area of inspection and monitoring, we will do it. We actually need the support of the government. Well the task force is doing its best, in fact, of recent; they were given a police outfit, which was not available before. Thus, if the task force can go out regularly and do their surveillance well, we should be able to get to the root of this matter”, she noted.
Still on drug abuse, the Secretary of the association, Pharm. Babayemi Oyekunle, while presenting his report to the AGM, mentioned the gross level of drug abuse practice in the northern part of the country, as he said that three million bottles of cough mixture containing Codeine are abused on monthly basis in Kano and Jigawa states.
As a means of eradicating this societal threat, the association launched a new group with the name ”War against drug abuse in Lagos”, which was saddled with the responsibility of fighting drug abuse and misuse wherever it is found across the state.
Experts at different times have analysed the colours of people’s urine, and they have come to the conclusion that urine colour has a lot to say about an individual’s health status.
Aside the fact that urine is a veritable human fluid from which diseases could easily be detected from, the colour also reveal to a greater extent, the health condition of the carrier.
This explains the rationale behind the analysis conducted by a London-based medical practitioner, Dr Luke Powles from Bupa Health Clinics, on human urine colours and its health implications.
According to Dr Powles, urine colour indicates people’s hydration levels, with dark yellow colours suggesting the need for an instant glass of water. Red and even green shades may be a sign of a more serious health problem, he adds.
Dr Powles, who spoke via an article on Daily Mail, emphasised the need for most people to drink between 1.5 and two litres of water a day, and should avoid dehydrating, sugary drinks like soda and alcohol.
Below are Dr Powles’ findings of what different urine colours say about people’s wellbeing.
Pale straw
This is the ideal urine colour and demonstrates a person is sufficiently hydrated, Cosmopolitan reported.A lighter colour than this indicates the individual is probably drinking more water than they need to.
Urine colours chart
Although usually harmless, this may cause them to urinate overly frequently.
Dark yellow
Amber-coloured urine suggests somebody is dehydrated and should drink water as soon as possible.
Green
Although it may be alarming, green urine is usually harmless and occurs as a result of eating particular foods, such as asaparagus or artifical colourings.
In rare cases, however, green urine is a sign of the rare genetic disease familial hypercalcemia, which causes abnormally high calcium levels in the blood. Green urine can also occur as a side effect of certain medications.
Red
Red urine is also usually due to eating certain foods, such as beetroot.
Yet, it can also be due to blood, such as during menstruation or, in more serious cases, infections or even cancers.
If people are unable to link their red urine to a food they have eaten recently, they should visit their GP as soon as possible.
Snoring is a common sleep problem with significant public health concerns. In fact, snoring among Nigerians has been associated with multiple factors. While the risk factors of snoring range from hypertension, to cerebrovascular disease, heart disease and daytime somnolence, experts have called for increase in awareness campaign about the condition.
Snoring is caused by air vibrating in the upper respiratory tract. There are many recommended snoring remedies, but which are the most effective?
Snoring husband distorting the sleep of the wife.
Dr Daniel Murrell of Medical News Today recently reviewed some practical methods to ease or cure the condition. They are listed below:
Snoring Remedies
The following lifestyle changes and tips may reduce or stop a person’s snoring.
Losing weight
Overweight individuals are more likely to snore. Fatty tissue and poor muscle tone, particularly around the throat, contribute to snoring.Eating a calorie-controlled, healthful diet and regularly exercising are the best ways to lose weight.
Sleeping on one side
A person is more likely to snore if they lie on their back, which can cause the tongue to move to the back of the throat. This makes breathing harder and can cause the vibrations of snoring.
Sleeping on one side may allow the air to flow more smoothly, reducing the vibrations. This may either stop the sound of a snore or make it quieter.
Quitting smoking
In addition to harming overall health, smoking irritates the airways, and this can make snoring worse.If a person smokes, quitting may help them to snore less, if at all.
Avoiding alcohol
Drinking a significant amount of alcohol relaxes the throat muscles. When these muscles relax, they are more likely to vibrate. Avoiding alcohol before bed may reduce or stop snoring.
Avoiding sleeping pills
Sedative medications, or sleeping pills, can lead to very deep sleep. This may have a relaxing effect on the throat muscles and cause snoring. A doctor can recommend healthful ways to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Elevating the head
Elevating the head using additional pillows may help to open the airways, reducing or eliminating snoring. Marketers offer pillows designed to prop up the body and prevent snoring. These are available to buy online.
Treating allergies
An allergic reaction may lead to congestion and blocked airways. This can make snoring worse. If a person’s snoring is caused by allergies, getting effective treatment can help.
Following global trends in the use and demand for herbal and traditional medicines, which has huge market and wealth creation potentials, the Federal Ministry of Health has inaugurated a 16-man expert committee for the review of the first edition of the Nigeria Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
The inauguration, which was conducted recently in Abuja, was well attended by stakeholders in the sub-sector.
Addressing participants at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Clement Uwaifo identified the rich natural plants available in the country, saying Nigeria was blessed with vast bio-diversity of different medicinal herbal species, many of which had remained untapped.
National Co-ordinator, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu (left); Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Clement Uwaifo, during the National Council on Health emergency meeting in Abuja. Photo Credit by The Guardian
To enhance effective utilization of these medicinal plants, the Permanent Secretary said it is imperative to scientifically organise information and documentation on useful medicinal herbs which were found efficacious in the management and treatment of several ailments in Nigeria.
Recalling efforts made to produce the first edition of the Nigeria Herbal Pharmacopoeia published in 2008, with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which contained 42 commonly used medicinal plants in Nigeria.
He noted that twenty two (22) of the cultivated plants were indigenous to Nigeria, 18 were introduced into Nigeria from other countries, while only two were not grown in appreciable quantities in the country and as such predominantly imported.
He therefore charged members of the committee to put in their expertise and explore more herbal medicinal plants not captured in the first edition.
He also advised the committee to take a cue from countries with various editions of Herbal Pharmacopoeia such as, Ghana and India to update and adopt plants with similar agronomical proportion with a view of coming up with a second edition.
Responding on behalf of the other members of the committee, the acting Chairman, Professor Tony Elujoba, who represented the chairm, Professor Maurice Iwu, who was unavoidly absent at the occasion, said that the Herbal Pharmacopoeia represented the official documentation of medicinal plants, their values and standardization of quality and quantity.
The document, according to Elujoba, was also to serve as a guide to herbal production, quantity control and assurance, so that people who used herbal medicinal products would be sure of their efficacy and safety standard.
He further appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health to advocate the introduction of school Herbal medicine in Nigerian Universities so that students could pursue a carreer in such field of study as counterparts of orthodox Medical doctors.
Describing herbal medicine as the most readily agreeable non-oil revenue generating heritage, Elujoba said the document could be used to register herbal medicine by NIPRID, SON and other related regulatory agencies.
The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma, has said that there is a need for Nigeria to generate data on benzene level in soft drinks.
Mr Aboloma made the statement when he addressed the Technical Committee meeting on water, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks held in Abuja, SON said in a statement on Sunday.
Represented by the Technical Assistant, Barth Ugwu, Mr Aboloma said Nigeria must meet the safe maximum level of benzoic acid or opt for alternative preservatives.
He said that development of standards and reviews were targeted at ensuring the health and safety of consumers and to serve as guide to manufacturers, importers and promote fair trade practices.
Alluding to the importance of the five draft standards to be considered by the committee, Mr Aboloma said they involved products that were consumed widely and frequently by majority of people across all ages and economic strata.
Soft Drinks
“The draft standards are standards for soft drinks, energy drinks, ginger drinks, sparkling fruit drinks, fruit squashes, concentrate and fruit cordial concentrate energy drinks,” he said.
According to him, energy drink is one of the most highly consumed non-alcoholic drinks by between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of youths and adolescents.
He said adverse health effects were attributed to the rate of consumption of the drinks due to the caffeine and sugar contents in them.
“Caffeine is a Central Nervous System stimulant of the methyl xanthine class, it is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug.
“Unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world,” Aboloma said.
According to him, this underscores reasons for the elaboration of the standard for energy drinks in the country to prevent side effects when consumed in excess.
Mr Aboloma charged the technical committee members to exercise great diligence in carrying out their task towards achieving the objective.
He stressed the need for setting standards that would prescribe good quality and food safety requirements in line with international best practices.
“I implore you all to participate actively and freely express your concerns at every stage of the deliberations,” he said.
The Chairman of the Technical Committee, Jide Alo, represented by Segun Ayejuyo, acknowledged the valuable contributions of the members to the assignment.
He called for robust interactions that would ensure consensus, while having the safety and health of consumers at heart.
The committee consists of representatives of Federal Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control and Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi.
Others are Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers, Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria and Consumer Protection Council.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched new guidance on the role tobacco product regulation can play to reduce tobacco demand, save lives and raise revenues for health services to treat tobacco-related disease, in the context of comprehensive tobacco control.
A new guide, “Tobacco product regulation: Building laboratory testing capacity”, and a collection of country approaches to regulation of menthol, presented in the publication titled “Case studies for regulatory approaches to tobacco products – Menthol in tobacco products” have been launched at the 2018 World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Cape Town, South Africa.
Cigarette Smoking to be regulated
Many countries have developed advanced policies to reduce the demand for tobacco, which kills over 7 million people annually, but governments can do much more to implement regulations to control tobacco use, especially by exploiting tobacco product regulation.
Dr Douglas Bettcher, WHO’s Director of the Department for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), said “The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), a global treaty established under the auspices of the WHO to combat the tobacco epidemic, has played a critical role in tobacco control. The launch of these important publications will further aid the implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC, contributing to building tobacco product regulation capacity in WHO Member States”.
He further said “Tobacco product regulation is an under-utilized tool which has a critical role to play in reducing tobacco use. The tobacco industry has enjoyed years of little or no regulation, mainly due to the complexity of tobacco product regulation and lack of appropriate guidance in this area. These new tools provide a useful resource to countries to either introduce or improve existing tobacco product regulation provisions and end the tobacco industry ‘reign’.”
“Only a handful of countries currently regulate the contents, design features and emissions of tobacco products,” says Dr Bettcher. “This means that tobacco products are one of the few openly available consumer products that are virtually unregulated in terms of contents, design features and emissions.”
Most countries hesitate to implement policies, due in part to the highly technical nature of such policy interventions and the difficulties in translating science into regulation, explains Dr Vinayak Prasad, who leads WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative.
“Failure to regulate represents a missed opportunity as tobacco product regulation, in the context of comprehensive control, is a valuable tool that complements other tried and tested tobacco control interventions, such as raising taxes, and ensuring smoke-free environments,” adds Dr Prasad.
“Tobacco product regulation: Building laboratory testing capacity” provides practical, stepwise approaches to implementing tobacco testing. Such guidance is relevant to a wide range of countries in various settings, including those with inadequate resources to establish a testing facility. This laboratory guide is a useful resource for countries, and provides regulators and policymakers with comprehensible information on how to test tobacco products, what products to test, and how to use testing data in a meaningful way to support regulation.
Further, it provides a step-by-step guide to developing a testing laboratory, using an existing internal laboratory, contracting an external laboratory, and making use of the available support mechanisms both within WHO and externally. This calls for country prioritization and commitment of resources to tobacco product regulation, as the guide equips regulators with the necessary tools to strengthen tobacco regulation capacity, especially in relation to Article 9 of the WHO FCTC.
The publication “Case studies for regulatory approaches to tobacco products – Menthol in tobacco products” complements the 2016 advisory note on menthol published by the WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation, which set out the available evidence on prevalence and health effects of menthol in tobacco products, as well as evidence-based conclusions and recommendations for policy-makers and regulators on menthol in its various forms.
The case studies provide practical guidance and policy options to countries about effective regulatory strategies in tobacco product regulation. This includes lessons learned and challenges encountered in developing and implementing menthol related regulation. To date, regulators have adopted multiple approaches to restricting the use of menthol. These include a ban in some product categories, a total ban on the use of all flavours and a ban on all products with a perceived menthol flavour. This publication also provides useful information on the merits and drawbacks of various regulatory approaches.
As a means of familiarizing themselves with one of their patrons and an icon in the pharmacy profession, the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), University of Lagos (UNILAG), chapter, led by the President, Obayomi Emmanuel recently paid a courtesy visit to Pharmanews corporate head office in Mende, Maryland, Lagos.
The PANS executives, during the visit, briefed Pharmanews Publisher, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi about the activities of the association for 2017/2018 session and solicited for his support as well as advice for the association.
In his response, Sir Atueyi commended them for the visit and also lauded them for coming up with good initiatives that would add value to the lives of their colleagues within the short period they would be in office. He, however, added that in the course of executing their programmes and projects, they should endeavour to prioritize and ensure that the important ones are executed.
According to the respected pharmacist, time is of great importance to students and importantly, “your primary objective in higher institution should be academic, so it is advisable you stick to the important programmes that will add value to your lives and the lives of your colleagues, and also the ones that will not affect your academics, which is the main reason you are in the university”.
Also speaking, Mr. Moshood Yusuff, editor, Pharmanews commended the youngsters for the visit and as well as assured them that pharmanews would continue to partner with them in the area of publicity for their programmes, just like it has been doing in the past.
“In this age, publicity is very important and the world has become a global village in such a way that information flies around every second, so it is important that people get to know whatever you are doing, and pharmanews will ensure it continues to give you adequate publicity for your programmes”, he stressed.
Others in attendance at the meeting were, Tijani Mobolaji, general secretary, PANS, UNILAG; Tonuewa Sejoro, financial secretary, PANS, UNILAG; Mr. Joel Omikunle, business manager, Pharmanews; Mrs. Temitope Obayendo, online editor, Pharmanews; Mr. Ola Aboderin, sub-editor, Pharmanews and Mr. Adebayo Oladejo, senior reporter, Pharmanews.
Consultant Nephrologist, Theophillus Umeizudike, on Thursday, said women are more at risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease than men.
Mr. Umeizudike, who works at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He spoke against the backdrop of the World Kidney Day marked annually on the second Thursday in March.
The 2018 WKD coincides with International Women’s Day (IWD), marked annually on March 8 and the theme for this year’s WKD is “Kidneys and Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower.”
A pregnant woman
The consultant said factors such as pregnancy induced hypertension, unwanted pregnancies resulting to abortion, and auto-immune diseases put women at risk of kidney disease.
Mr. Umeizudike added that “women with progressing pregnancies may be at risk of pregnancy induced hypertension which usually tends to affect teenagers or those in their early 20s and late 40s.
“Also, those who have had many children may be at risk of pregnancy induced hypertension, a risk factor for pre-eclampsia or eclampsia and these can impact on both mother and child.
“The other aspect of women’s health that makes them prone to kidney disease is that women tend to have auto-immune diseases, a condition where the body fights itself.
“The diseases common to women include systemic lupus erythematosus, arthritis, and many other disorders which affect the kidneys.”
He, therefore, advised women of reproductive age and were pregnant to register in a health facility to be well monitored during pregnancy.
He also advised women who had unwanted pregnancies not to terminate them as it could result to infections which could cause kidney diseases.
He noted that “one in five per cent of women may be affected by pregnancy induced hypertension and so they need to be detected early to prevent complications.
“Usually, women who were treated for eclampsia during pregnancy may have their blood pressures normalised after delivery.
“However, some years down the line, the woman may be at risk of developing hypertension, a risk factor for kidney disease.
“So, if treated during pregnancy, women still need to be monitored to be sure she is not developing hypertension or it is not persisting.
“Women should also imbibe the culture of checking their health status on yearly basis to be sure that there is nothing wrong with their vital organs,” he said.
According to an online journal — Kidney International — WKD and IWD commemorated on the same day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of women’s health and particularly their kidney health.
The journal is the official journal of the International Society of Nephrology.
It stated that “on its 13th anniversary, WKD promotes affordable and equitable access to health education, health care, and prevention for all women and girls in the world.
“The coinciding of WKD and IWD offers an opportunity to develop and define best practices and future research agendas.
“Ultimately, to optimise outcomes of present and future generations living with or at risk for kidney disease.
“Advocating for improved access to care for women is critical to maintain the health of families, communities and populations.”
In this exclusive interview with Pharmanews, Mrs Chinenye Okoronkwo, head of marketing, Consumer Products, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, talks about stress and why she considers Homtamin Ginseng Capsule the most effective remedy for combating it. Excerpts:
Tell us a bit about Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc
Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc is a public quoted company with the Nigerian Stock Exchange. As a foremost indigenous, innovative Nigerian company with global perspectives, the company is involved in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of quality pharmaceuticals and veterinary products in over 20 therapeutic product ranges in Nigeria, West Africa and internationally. The company is the resultant company from the Mazi Sam I. Ohuabunwa led Management-Buy-Out of the 60 per cent equity holding of Pfizer Incorporation, New York, USA, in Pfizer Products Plc, which took place in May 1997 when Pfizer Incorporation in pursuit of its global repositioning strategy, divested 60 per cent equity in Pfizer Products Plc. in favour of the existing management.
Mrs Chinenye Okoronkwo, head of marketing, Consumer Products, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals
Tell us about Homtamin G Capsules. What exactly does it do and what prompted Neimeth to introduce it into the Nigerian market?
Homtamin G Capsules is an anti- stress formulation that comprises multivitamins, minerals, aloe extract and Korean ginseng extract, which work synergistically to reduce the effects of stress and its deleterious consequences as is the case with prolonged stress if left unmanaged. The most tasked vitamins during stress are B complex, Folic and Vitamin C. If these are replenished, they will relieve the weakness and debility that come with stress. So, Homtamin G Capsule is capable of controlling stress and its after-effects because it contains standardised ginseng extracts and minerals that are particularly tasked in the body when stressed.
Meanwhile, the products was introduced as part of our commitment towards the provision of a better quality of life for Nigerians through adequate management of stress. Also, having observed that the incidence of sudden death was becoming higher among top executives, probably as a result of the high level of responsibility placed on them through decision-making and risk-taking, we decided to introduce the product.
Tell us about the active ingredients in Homtamin G Capsule and what differentiates it from others products in its class in the Nigerian market.
Homtamin G Capsule comprises triterpenoid saponins collectively called Ginsenosides, which is believed to be the most important active constituents. It also has Korean Ginseng, which is very rich in Ginsenosides and this makes the product stand out among others in its therapeutic field. Korean Ginseng profile is essentially different from other stimulants. While others are active under most situations, Korean Ginseng reveals stimulatory action only under the challenges of stress.
Since the product was introduced, how has it been doing in the market and what is Neimeth doing to ensure it is not faked?
Within the first two years that Homtamin G Capsule was introduced into the Nigerian Market, it grew from 87 per cent to 383 per cent. It has maintained this positive growth trend since then, and more recently in 2017, it also grew by 145 percent, while it has also maintained an impressive achievement of targeted sales volumes.
Tell us about stress, its effects and how it can be managed.
Stress, in very simple terms, is anything that tends to create little disturbance in you. It does not matter how big or little it is, even something as insignificant as painful shoes, bad odour and the likes. However, medically, stress is the way our body responds to pressure and we can also define it as a situation in which everyday demands or tasks exceed our adjustive capacity. Examples of stress include financial, marital, work and health-related stress. We all have our ways of coping with change, so the causes of stress can be different for each person.
Stress can be either good or bad. Good stress positively compels people to action, e.g. to study for an exam, or a baby learning to crawl, whereas bad stress results in negative feelings such as distrust, anger and depression e.g. the death of a loved one. Bad stress can be acute or chronic and may lead to serious health problems or death.
Stress is a silent killer, but the good news is that it can be managed, and in managing it, it could be physical or mental. One can manage stress perfectly by engaging in physical exercise like football, and one can also engage in mental exercise like playing chess, scrabble and so on. These things are meant to remove your mind from what is worrying you and that is why doctors usually suggest this whenever people visit the hospital.
We also have relaxation, religious beliefs and conviction, and through counselling. It can also be managed by taking nutritional supplements, which come by way of multivitamin, minerals and antioxidants, just like we have in Homtamin Ginseng Capsule.
Tell us about some other major brands from Neimeth that are doing well in the market.
Nimartem, NCP and Ciklavit are other major brands from Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc that are well known in Nigeria and their rapidly growing popularity is due to their efficacy and reliability.Ciklavit is the first indigenous nutritional supplement for the management of sickle cell anaemia. A natural food extract with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, which is derived from a species of local beans known as cajanus cajan, it is endowed with potent anti-sickling properties that reduces frequency and severity of painful crises.
NCP is an antiseptic and also doubles as a disinfectant that contains halogenated phenols, sodium salicylate and phenolic compounds. Halogenated phenol possesses anti-microbial activity, while sodium salicylate has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect thus reducing pain, while Nimartem is an Artemisinin Combination Therapy that has Artemether and Lumefantrine as its active constituents and is indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
The Governing Council of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, along with other agencies and parastatals under the supervision of the ministry.
Prof. Adewole while inaugurating the board members recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, charged them to live above board and work in concert with the change agenda of the current administration by providing robust and purposeful transformation of the health sector.
He cautioned against unnecessary rivalry and indulgence in sharp practices that may result to acrimony and stall progress of the institutions in delivering on their mandate.
In his maiden visit to the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja shortly after the inauguration, Chairman of NAFDAC Governing Council, Hon. Inuwa Abdulkadir, pledged the desire of members to discharge their duties with trust and accountability.
He promised greater synergy and collaborative effort by all stakeholders which, according to him, will make the work of regulation and enforcement easier.
NAFDAC DG’s appeal to the council
Also speaking, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye appealed to the council to intervene in the issue of the suspension of the agency from the ports as such action is counter-productive while observing that the rising epidemic of the use and abuse of narcotic substances by the youth, could be traced to this gap.
She listed other challenges that need prompt intervention of the council members to include provision of vehicles to police the vast territory of the country including border ports, improved ICT, staff welfare, among others.
To all our Lady Pharmacists, female Doctors and Nurses, and all our female friends out there, Happy International Women’s Day to you. We wish you the best on this wonderful celebration of femininity worldwide.Enjoy your day!
Members of the Association of Lady Pharmacists, Lagos BranchNigerian female doctorsNurse Leaders in the employ of Lagos State Health Service Commission
We are pleased to inform you that we have begun compilation of the latest edition of the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Directory (NPD).
The NPD is the most recognised and respected reference publication on the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry, with Pharmanews Limited as publisher since 1980.
We hereby request you to provide us with current, up-to-date information about your organisation for update of the directory. It is designed to serve as a reference material for healthcare practitioners, government officials, consultants, business administrators, students, investors and other current and prospective local and international participants in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.
The contents would feature amongst others, detailed information on institutions and organisations that offer pharmaceutical products and services, as well as pharmacy education in Nigeria. The information on these institutions and organisations would be one that would aid decision-making for other members of the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.
Attached is the pharmaceutical industry data form. Kindly fill legibly and return to us by email to pharmanews@yahoo.com before Friday,30th March, 2018.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, says it will spend $178 million from 2018 to 2019 on health related issues in Nigeria.
The WHO Country Representative, Wondimagegnehu Alemu, said this at a joint approval of the biennium WHO programme Budget of 2018 to 2019 with the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in Abuja.
Mr. Alemu said $127 million, representing 66 per cent of the budget, would be spent on polio eradication programmes.
Healthcare practitioners in the theatre
He said that $30 million would be expended on communicable disease projects such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS within the period under review.
According to him, $8.1 million is earmarked for promotion of healthcare through reduction of maternal and child mortality as well as family planning.
Mr. Alemu also said the remaining funds would be used for emergencies arising from of outbreak of diseases.
The Country Representative, who stated that he signed the budget on behalf of his regional Director, disclosed that it had been approved by the regional office.
He said that there would be consultative meetings among partners and stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the budget.
In his remarks, Mr. Adewole commended WHO for its efforts to boost health sector.
He said that Nigeria had received a lot of supports from the organisation, adding that the signing of the budget was an evident of continued support of WHO to Nigeria.
The minister also commended WHO for the assistance to the country, especially in terms of polio eradication.
He noted that the budgeted for the eradication of polio virus was quite significant, adding that it would help to maintain surveillance on the disease.
“I am also happy on what is earmarked for communicable and tropical diseases; a chunk will go into that area.
“On behalf of the people and the government of Nigeria, I wish to express appreciation for the support we have been receiving from WHO, we are indeed grateful” he said.
Following another scintillating performance, eminent pharmacists and other professionals have showered accolades on the organisers of SK Achievers Forum.
While endorsing the initiative at a two-day training held at Business School Netherland, GRA, Ikeja on February 21, 2018, Alhaji Ahmed Yakasai, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) noted that personal development is key for anybody hoping to become a better person in the society.
PSN President, Ahmed Yakasai and Pharm. Sesan Kareem (Middle) with other organisers of SK Achivers Forum.
According to Yakasai, he was always happy being in the midst of young professionals especially pharmacists who strive to add value to their careers through trainings, seminars and workshops.
“These are the habits of successful pharmacists. I must commend Pharm. Sesan Kareem and his team for this successful initiative,” he remarked.
Yakasai’s Success Story
While narrating his success story, the PSN boss explained he was not a beneficiary of any quota system.
“All I have achieved were as a result of hard work and personal development. In fact, when I resigned from my position as Director of Pharmaceutical Services (DPS), I did not even have up to N30,000 in my account.
“As at the time I finished schooling, there was nothing like HIV/AIDS in the country. But I was determined to study it nevertheless. At the end, I became one of the most sought-after top resource persons and earned as much as N1 million monthly,” he said.
Speaking further, Yakasai noted that he was subsequently courted by the Kano State governor who wanted him to come and serve in his government on a monthly take-home of N250,000.
“While still foot-dragging and considering the offer, the governor personally visited and convinced me to see the appointment as a public service to his people. With that, I knew within me that I need no further conviction.
“All along, I must confess that my innermost dream was to be a pharma manufacturer. But events kept overtaking such aspiration. That notwithstanding, I will still pursue it,” he remarked.
While applauding participants at the Achievers Forum, the PSN helmsman announced that his journey through life was sharpened by several seminars, workshops and trainings he received both locally and on the international stage.
“Today, many people commend me on how active I am on Facebook. The truth is that everything I know about the social media is also as a result of the trainings I have attended,” he enthused.
Yakasai’s assertion was further buttressed by Pharm. Lere Baale, director of Business School Netherland (BSN) who declared that the future is heading to a place where only B.Sc would no longer be relevant for employment.
“People must be proactive to the extent of seeing the future long before it arrives. It is sad enough that a section of the Nigerian society is still seeing Pharmacy in the light of mere dispensary. No, it is far advanced than that,” he stressed.
Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi’s stress management presentation
Earlier in his presentation on ‘Stress Management & Healthy Living’, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director of Pharmanews Limited remarked that his interest in training programmes started in 1992 when World Health Organisation (WHO) invited him for a workshop in Geneva.
“It coincided with when the National Agency of Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was just established. I also recalled that the then director general, Prof. Gabriel Osuide showed some sort of solidarity by sending us eight participants from the agency,” he reminisced.
Explaining the term ‘Personal Development,’ convener of the Achievers Forum, Pharm. Sesan Kareem, a public speaker and personal assistant to the PSN president described it as ‘A positive change in one’s self image, inner programming and attitude’ that tends to lead to a positive change in one’s world and the world at large.
“That it is personal does not mean that it is all about you. The world does not care how you started your journey. It is more interested in how you end it.
“Knowledge is not power. No, power is the application of knowledge. This is why we need to be careful about what our eyes and ears are exposed to,” he said.
On how personal development can further make one a better person, Kareem enumerated getting new knowledge, new skills and a positive attitude to life as key.
The speaker also warned that there are three factors every successful entrepreneur must nip in the bud.
“These are fear, anger and greed. On fear, you need to take massive action regardless of how big or small the project is. Anger, on the other hand needs to be tamed by always being at peace with oneself.
“The last one – Greed – is more like a pitfall for most entrepreneurs without contentment. Every great initiative demands patience because it takes time to build something great in life,” he reassured.
Attendance of participants at the forum
In attendance were Pharm. Lekan Asuni, managing director, Lefas Pharmaceuticals Limited; Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, managing director, New Height Pharmaceuticals; Mrs. Jumoke Olukoya, managing director, Paxo Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Peter Onimisi, former chairman, Young Pharmacists Group; Yusuff Moshood, editor, Pharmanews Limited and Pharm. Tosin Adeyemi, former chairman, Nigerian Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), Lagos chapter.
A special reception was held by the Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) in honour of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC and Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on March 1, 2018.
The photographs below captured the colourful event.
L-R: Venerable Olufemi Babalola; his wife, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University; Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC and Senator Olushola Adeyeye, Senate chief whipL-R: Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president, NAPharm presenting an award to Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC while Senator Olushola Adeyeye, Senate chief whip and Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, NAPharm vice president (South) look on.L-R:Venerable Olufemi Babalola; his wife, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University; Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president, NAPharm and Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, NAPharm vice president (South)L-R:Prof. Fola Tayo, NAPharm secretary general; Prof. Noel Wannang, secretary general and Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo, managing director, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Limited.R-L: Prof. Fola Tayo, NAPharm secretary general; Mrs Mojisola Tayo, his wife; Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University and Prof. Bolajoko Aina, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos (UNILAG).L-R: Prof. Kemi Odukoya, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University still basking in the euphoria.L-R: Pharm Lekan Asuni, managing director, Lefas Pharma; Pharm. Paul Enebeli, a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN); Sir Nnamdi Obi, chairman, Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN) and Pharm. Lere Baale, director, Business School Netherlands.Cultural dancers entertaining guests at the event
It was an emotional moment at the indoor hall of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, as Pharm. (Mrs) Abiola Paul-Ozieh, chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), recalled the challenging but equally rewarding moments during her 12-year of service with the ACPN, Lagos State.
Pharm. Paul-Ozieh, while reading her valedictory speech during the last Annual General Meeting of the association held recently, disclosed that it has been 12 good years of service, availability, challenges, ruggedness, courage and boldness to the most dynamic and foremost state chapter of ACPN in the country.
L-R:Pharm. (Mrs) Abiola Paul-Ozieh, outgoing chairman and Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, the new chairman of Lagos ACPN
In her words, “I had been able to serve as the financial secretary, general secretary, vice-chairman, and ultimately the chairman of this noble association of men of honour since 2005. What an honour, a privilege, opportunity and what an experience? ” she said
Her expression of gratitude to God and family members
Acknowledging the support of her household during her tenure, the chairman noted that she owed a great sense of gratitude to the members of her immediate family for allowing her and for supporting her throughout her years of service.
She further appreciated God for sustaining her through. “How I manage to do this successfully was beyond me, but I give glory to God almighty who, by His grace and divine enablement for this leadership cause I was able to succeed. The God that qualifies the unqualified, the one that chooses the weak things to confound the mighty and chooses foolish things to confound the wise, I give him all the glory”.
In a sober reflection of what lies ahead of the association, as the new chairman takes over the mantle of leadership, the chairman appealed to all members of ACPN across the state to rise above division, anger and rivalry, no matter the cause, and work together with the new leadership, so as to take the association to the next level.
Accolades for the outgoing chairman
While speaking with Pharmanews, Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), ACPN and one time national chairman, ACPN, extolled the virtues of the outgoing chairman, Pharm. Paul-Ozieh and said she would be greatly missed.
According to the respected pharmacist, “Paul-Ozieh has paid her dues in the profession as a committed leader and bridge builder. She has done very well as she has taken the association a little further, so I wish her good luck to any level she wishes to go in life”.
Similarly, the duo of Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, the new chairman, and Pharm. Obiageri Ethel Ikwu, who emerged as the financial secretary in the recently conducted election of the association, described the outgoing chairman as a tireless and dodged fighter, who had sacrificed a lot for the association.
List of newly elected executives of the Lagos ACPN
However, the high point of the programme was the election of the new executive members of the association for the next three years, which is renewable every year.
The newly elected executives of the association are :Pharm. Olabanji Benedict Obideyi, chairman; Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator, vice-chairman; Pharm. Jonah Okotie, secretary; Pharm. Charles Oyeniyi, assistant secretary; Pharm. Agbude George, treasurer; Pharm. Obiageri Ethel Ikwu, financial secretary; Pharm. Mosunmola Dosunmu, public relation officer and Pharm. Paul Owolabi, editor-in-chief.
The Diabetes Podiatry Initiative Nigeria Project (DPIN) has expressed shock over the sudden rise in Diabetic related foot amputation in the country.
In a communique released to the media, Dr Afokoghene Rita Isiavwe, an endocrinologist and project coordinator of the initiative lamented that it is unfortunate that Diabetes Mellitus cases have quadrupled in just over three decades and has continued its alarming rise globally in many countries like Nigeria along with its numerous debilitating and deadly complications.
Rising from a one-day stakeholders meeting aimed at producing guidelines for the management of diabetes foot ulcer on Friday January 28, 2018 at Lily Gate Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, Isiavwe explained that Nigeria is currently recording unacceptable number of lower extremities amputation and death resulting from diabetes foot ulcer in all part the country.
Prevalence of foot ulcers and amputation in Nigeria
“With lifetime incidence of foot ulcers occurring in up to 25% of persons living with diabetes, prevalence rate in Nigeria is now between 8.3% and 19% in different parts of the country while amputation rate remains as high as 53.2% in some centres; with mortality post amputation as high as 50% in some centre.
“There is a general lack of awareness both among the populace and health care practitioners on foot care for people living with diabetes. The practice of examining the feet of diabetes patients during visits to the clinic is yet to be embraced by a large number of doctors and other caregivers in the country while patients lack basic knowledge to prevent foot ulcer,” she noted.
Dr Afokoghene Rita Isiavwe
Interestingly, Diabetes foot is now the most common cause of non-neoplastic and non-traumatic amputation in the lower extremities thus responsible for more hospitalization in patients with diabetes and other complications put together.
Global prevalence of foot ulcer
All over the world, health researchers have posited that a limb is lost every 30 seconds while more than 1 million amputations are performed on people with diabetes yearly. Significantly, 50 per cent of amputees would die within 5 years after amputation. Those who survive are likely to lose the other limb afterwards.
To further compound issue, the cost of managing foot ulcer or performing amputation is enormous and above annual national minimum wage.
In the communique, DPIN observed that although diabetes care is obtained at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare in the country, a large number of patients with foot problems are presented too late mostly at a stage where amputation remains the only option to save their lives.
Guideline for diabetes caregivers
“Currently, there is no guideline for the management of Diabetes foot ulcer. Similarly, there is a dearth of podiatrists to co-manage the increasing cases of diabetes foot ulcer hence the need to incorporate podiatry training in the Nigerian University Curriculum as a sub-specialty course.
“There is also an urgent need to pay far more attention to diabetes foot and shift focus to preventing ulcers, rather than treating them. Caregivers must emphasize the importance of foot care to patients when Diabetes is first diagnosed and this should be reinforced at regular intervals,” she canvased.
The meeting which was a partnership project of Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, World Diabetes Foundation and Podiatry Institute, Georgia, USA had several endocrinologists, Diabetes care physicians from different geopolitical zones, limb revascularization and intervention cardiologists, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos State Ministry of health, Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), Endocrine and Metabolism society of Nigeria (EMSON) in attendance.
As NAPharm fetes Adeyeye, Babalola for being good ambassadors
As the new helmsman of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) resumes office, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) has warned about the impending hurdles that awaits her.
Speaking at the special reception held in honour of both Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC and Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on 1 March 2018, Adelusi-Adeluyi opined that, in spite of the odds facing her, he has no doubt the agency boss has the capacity to overcome them.
“When last September, we inducted Adeyeye into the prestigious ranks of NAPharm’s fellowship, little did we know that the fellowship was in some way a prelude to even bigger things.
L-R: Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, vice president (South), Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm); Senator Olushola Adeyeye, Senate chief whip; Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president, NAPharm; Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University; Venerable Olufemi Babalola and Prof. Fola Tayo, secretary general in a group photograph.
“By November, she had been appointed as NAFDAC’s director general. The timing of her appointment is quite auspicious. It is now Adeyeye’s burden to ensure that NAFDAC strives to redress these and other issues such that its role in enthroning and safeguarding the good health of Nigerians becomes increasingly pivotal,” he charged.
He highlighted the enormous task ahead of her
According to the NAPharm president, the state of disorder in the nation’s drug distribution system coupled with porous borders heighten the risk of circulation of fake and substandard medicines, foods and other products, as well as challenge the health and well-being of Nigerians.
With such daunting task, Adelusi-Adeluyi declared that the academy strongly believe that with her experience as a veteran academic, administrator, innovator, holder of several patents and extensive exposure to world class institution like America’s Food and Drug Administration(FDA), it is a job in which the professor of Pharmaceutics is well cut out.
“Clearly, the task before her is herculean. But we believe Nigeria stands to benefit significantly from her unique combination of expertise, innovativeness and enthusiasm to make a difference in NAFDAC.
“While wishing her the very best in her new assignment, we also call on government at different levels to help provide support especially with legislation as well as enforcement to enable NAFDAC delivers impeccably on its mandate,” he stressed.
Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi extols Prof. Chinedum Babalola’s roles
The academy also lauded Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University for having a distinguished career as a drug development expert, researcher, teacher and mentor to young pharmacists as well as administrator at the University of Ibadan.
L-R: Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University; Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president, NAPharm and Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC.
In his words, Adelusi-Adeluyi noted that NAPharm is elated by yet another Fellow of the academy to the position of vice chancellor in Chrisland University.
“We have no doubt whatsoever that her tour of duty at Chrisland University will be most successful. The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy is an unrepentant and unabashed promoter of excellence.
“We commend our two colleagues on their appointments and exhort them to spare no effort in excelling at their new roles.
They had set a standard in their respective new roles and I enjoin them to continue to look up to God as a compass to guide them,” he admonished.
Adeyeye and Babalola expressed their appreciations to the academy
Expressing appreciation for the honour, the new vice chancellor of Chrisland University declared that her name ‘Chinedum’ (God leads me) is a reflection of her life.
L-R: Venerable Olufemi Babalola; his wife, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, vice chancellor of Chrisland University; Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, president, NAPharm and Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, NAPharm vice president (South)
“Even when it appeared like I wouldn’t survive as a kid, God has always been with me. I remember how my mum stood by me all through. As a kid, I usually developed malaria every time I had examination.
“My mother was always coming around to administer my medicine. At the end, God’s Will prevailed,” she said.
Babalola who disclosed that she was at first confused when NAPharm conferred her with its fellowship applauded the academy for keeping faith with her.
On her part, Adeyeye explained that her journey through academic to her present appointment was what she called ‘Unmerited Favour.”
“I must not also fail to thank my husband, Senator Olushola Adeyeye, the Senate chief whip for his patience. He is what I call a ‘genius’ because he taught me patience, perseverance and how to respond quickly to situations.
“Many of you were surprised on seeing how early our delegation arrived for today’s event. That is the new NAFDAC you are seeing,” she emphasized.
List of dignitaries at the event
In attendance at the event were Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, NAPharm vice president (South); Prof. Fola Tayo, secretary general; Pharm Lekan Asuni, managing director, Lefas Pharma; Dr Okey Akpa, chairman, Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN); Prof. Kemi Odukoya, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Pharm. John Nwaiwu, managing director, JB Pharmaceuticals.
Others were Pharm. Nnamdi Obi, chairman, Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN); Dr Chukwuka Obiora, chairman of Greenlife Pharmaceuticals; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former managing director, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Nnamdi Okafor, managing director, May & Baker Plc; Dr Poly Emenike, chairman of Neros Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Lere Baale, director, Business School Netherlands; Pharm Ike Onyechi, NAPharm treasurer and Pharm. Remi Adeseun, country manager, IQVIA.
The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists(WAPCP) is set to hold its 30th Annual General Meeting &Scientific Symposium, themed: “Medicines and Wealth Creation “, at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Banjul, The Gambia.
WAPCP banner
The conference, which will hold from 15 April to 20 April, 2018, will feature Dr Pa Lamin Beyai, as the keynote speaker, with sub-themes as: Antimicrobial resistance; and access to medicine.
For online registration, prospective participants are to visit: www.wapharm.org
It’s funny how the harder I work, the more successful I become. – Jack Warner
If you sow, you reap
The Scripture talks about sowing and reaping in Galatians 6:7: ‘‘Therefore whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap.’’ The law of sowing and reaping is one of the greatest laws of success. You cannot reap what you did not sow; therefore you are as lucky as the efforts you invest in a task.
The logic also goes that you are luckier when you work harder. You reap more when you sow more. Your harvest is proportionate to the amount of seed you planted. You earn more when you invest more. You receive more when you give more.
Hard work leads to success
I read in Brian Tracy’s 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success that in Dr Thomas Stanley’s The Millionaire Next Door, he reports that almost every one of the self-made millionaires in America told him that their success was due to hard work than any other factor. Hard work is a necessity in the ladder of success.
I believe that when opportunity meets preparation, the result is success. It takes hard work to ensure preparation and it takes preparation to attain success. The two – hard work and success – are interwoven. They are closely related. Hard work leads to success. No one stumbles on success. I have always maintained that success is a deliberate design. Success is not a 100m dash; it is a marathon. You must be willing to go all the way. You must be ready to pay the success Price. You must be willing to persevere until you attain your goals. It won’t be easy. The path to real success is usually tough but it’s worth the toil because hard work pays.
Success is planned and pursued
Mark Zuckerberg once said, ‘‘Nothing ever comes out fully formed.’’ Success does not locate people’s addresses. Success only locates the people who attract it. The way to attract success is through hard work, clarity of goal and positive attitude. You just have to create the world you desire. You must take your time to form your dream world.
Success is a summation of deliberate actions taken over a period of time. Success doesn’t just happen. The harder you work, the luckier you get. No one lies in his bed and expect an income without doing anything. Life requires that you pay your dues before reaping the fruits. You must plant before you reap. Nothing happens by accident. Success is planned and pursued.
Follow the right path
Success is a function of hard work and adhering to success principles. The man who works hard is naturally going to be luckier than the man who idles away and expects that a miracle will happen. Thomas Jefferson wrote, ‘‘Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing.’’
When you keep doing, you keep achieving. A hard working individual knows how to till the ground. He believes there is dignity in labour. He takes calculated risks and makes a lot of efforts to succeed. It takes consistent efforts before arriving at success. The man who fails to work tries nothing and achieves nothing.
Take calculated risk
Contemporary thinkers agree that people who are not taking risk are the main risk takers. This is the philosophy of successful people. I agree with this viewpoint. The logic is simple, the more risk you take, the harder you work and the more you are exposed to options that lead to success and, of course, the more you succeed.
Hard working people dare their environments to discover the hidden treasures. They are big dreamers. Working hard is being successful at the moment. You are a success once you can work hard. Nature has a way of compensating hard working folks.
Salesmen often encounter series of challenges. They come across these challenges in order to excel in their careers. It takes overcoming obstacles to win a competition. Winning doesn’t come easy. Salesmen are expected to overcome the challenges they encounter on the way. They are expected to outsmart the activities of competitors.
Stakeholders expect salesmen to come out successful in their sales activities. No one succeeds in this kind of demanding environment if he is not hard working. An individual who works hard puts himself on the driver’s seat; he takes charge. Till the ground!
Deacon Adebowale Robert Tade is a pharmacist of repute whose vast experience in pharma marketing, administration and human resource management is renowned. In this interview with Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, the former Pfizer Specialties and Livestock Feeds Limited czar chronicled his journey, trials and triumph with the multinational company. Excerpts:
What was your first work experience like?
My first experience was with Burroughs Wellcome. I was one of those who first launched Septrin, Actifed, Neosporins and some others. I later moved up north and worked with Beecham. At a point, I wasn’t satisfied with the state of things at the company because I was the only sales representative covering most of the then northern states up to Lake Chad. I was always busy travelling from one end to the other. Eventually I got fed up. One day, I paused and asked myself what I was doing in the Chad area. I left the company and returned to the south.
At what point did you join Pfizer?
I got an appointment with Pfizer after I went back to the south in 1973 as a medical representative. I got promoted as the ethical product manager in 1975, after some very competitive on-the-job tests and interviews. Thanks to Pharm. Douglas Egbuonu for his forthrightness and the Late Pharm. Dr Fred Adenika for his thoroughness and leadership. I moved in quick succession from product manager in 1976 to marketing manager in 1978 and head of the pharmaceutical division as division manager in 1981. By dint of hard work, I worked my way up to becoming Pfizer’s deputy managing director in 1985, the first Nigerian pharmacist to be so appointed and also elected to the Board of Directors of the company.
Many believe rising to become Pfizer’s deputy managing director (DMD) was perhaps your greatest achievement. How would you react to that?
I wouldn’t say my position as DMD was my biggest achievement. I happened to be the first Nigerian pharmacist to be on the board of Pfizer Products Plc in 1985. You can imagine all the pharmacists around me then. They were full of joy. The likes of Sam Ohuabunwa, Ajibade Adeshina and the late Dr Olukoya. We had all been looking forward to the time when a Nigerian would be on the board of great Pfizer. We had some pharmacists who passed through Pfizer but never made it to the board. They were there partly as managers.
Deacon Adebowale Robert Tade
Do you remember any of such managers?
In those days, someone like Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi was a general manager but was never brought to the board. In fact, he did not stay for too long. A very energetic guy, Julius was always on the move. I was then the deputy managing director for Pfizer at that time. But I didn’t see it as my greatest achievement actually. In fact, when I relocated to livestock feed to be chairman and managing director, I still did not see that as my biggest achievement. What many people missed out on my profile is that in 1998, I became the country manager/managing director of Pfizer Anglophone West Africa. That is one area I know many people miss out when writing about me. I ran Livestock Feeds from 1998 and retired in 2005. I would see myself as the longest serving Nigerian pharmacist on the board of Pfizer.
What then led to the management buy-out that allegedly divided Pfizer?
There is what we call buy-over (management buy-out) when Pfizer sold 60 per cent equity in Livestock Feeds Plc and in Pfizer Products Plc. That was done in 1992/1993 or thereabout. It was at that time that Neimeth International bought 60 per cent of Pfizer’s shareholdings. Another group also came forward to buy over Pfizer’s 50 per cent equity in Livestock Feeds Plc and I was named the chairman and managing director of the then Livestock Feeds Plc at that time.
My good professional colleague and respected junior, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, was made chairman/managing director of Pfizer Products Plc. In 1998, Pfizer thought it fit that their 100 per cent other outfit, Pfizer Specialties Limited, needed a Nigerian head and I was appointed chairman/managing director of Pfizer Specialties Limited.
How was the structure of the place when Pfizer divested?
When Pfizer divested from Nigeria, all their researched products began to be promoted, sold and managed by Pfizer Specialties Limited to date. The old products were left with Neimeth while the new ones (researched products) were put in charge of Pfizer Specialties Limited.
The person managing Pfizer Specialties, one Frenchman, whose name I cannot recall at the moment, was reassigned to another location in Pfizer Europe. That was how I became the chairman/managing director of Pfizer Specialties. It was in that position that the likes of Lere Baale were reporting to me as marketing director while people like Yinka Obadina were reporting to me as finance director as well as the human resource manager and other directors. I was in that position till July 2005.
In all, I spent about eight years on that seat. That probably made me the longest serving Nigerian Pharmacist as chairman and managing director of Pfizer Specialties and many of its outfits anyway. I believe the reason such key information is often missed out is probably because I still retained my chairmanship of Livestock Feeds Plc (non-executive chairman).
Do you now understand? That indeed overshadowed my position as chairman/managing director of Pfizer Specialties Limited. So that is me!
Which did you find most challenging among all the appointments you had?
If you ask for the most challenging, I would say the one I had as chairman/managing director of Pfizer Specialties Limited. Beside Nigeria, I was in charge of Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Not just that, I was on the board of the companies there.
How many Nigerians do we have, even to date, with such responsibilities – chairman/managing director of their companies in Anglophone West Africa? That was my job and I found it quite challenging. We were actively on ground, not on paper.
Prior to my assumption to that office, such responsibilities attached to the position, including the ones held by the Frenchman, were merely seen on paper. But now, the actual work had begun. We operated in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and, of course, Nigeria. Such a huge task it was!
You can imagine the several times we travelled there, we made use of Slok Airline that belonged to that former governor of Nigeria (Orji Uzor Kalu). We would fly Slok Airline to Ghana; it was that same Slok that would take us to Sierra Leone and other countries.
How did you manage to tackle all these challenges head on?
You remember that I told you I had able lieutenants like Lere Baale, who is still quite active and energetic to date; the finance director and also my marketing directors. Of course, we made sure that we had good people on ground to do the job. I guess that aptly sums up my 32 years of working with Pfizer.
Many people see the newly appointed NAFDAC boss as another Dora Akunyili. Do you support this notion?
Well, Dora stood for something which was passion. Passion for the job at that time. Fake and counterfeit drugs everywhere. She understood the hazard and the impact on Nigerians. She knew all those and still developed that passion to tackle it. It was that passion that saw her through the hazard of the job successfully.
Dora knew a lot about all these fake drugs, substandard medicines, parallel imports and those things that were wrong with the system. And she came out to do a corrective surgery and sanitised the system. The man who came after her (Dr Paul Orhii) was just another appointment. He came with no passion! He was busy with his people thinking, ‘Oh! This is a big job of us (doctors).’
So, this new lady (Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye) being a pharmacist, I have no doubt that she too will develop the passion. The keyword here is passion. Dora had it; I believe this one too will do exactly the same thing. We need someone who is very disciplined, just as Dora was. If I may ask: Who could attempt to bribe a Dora? I repeat, who? (laughs). Don’t forget our motto that says ‘As men of honour, we join hands to make Nigeria great again!”
-As American Business Council holds Breakfast Meeting with DG NAFDAC
The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Professor Mojisola Adeyeye has sent a warning signal to all importers of substandard foods and drugs related products into the country, saying the agency will not allow the country to be a dumping ground for such products.
Prof. Adeyeye, who spoke during a Breakfast Meeting organised by the American Business Council, noted that it will no longer be business as usual for all foreign countries, especially the Asian countries, whose inferior and adulterated drugs and foods have flooded the Nigerian markets hitherto, adding that the agency will soon commence prosecuting any nation found culprit of this act.
Her words:“We are going to blacklist many countries, for instance, the Asian countries, which are in the habit of sending substandard products to Nigeria, because the country has been inundated with narcotic products, in fact, we will possibly prosecute any foreign company found guilty of the act henceforth”.
L-R: George Nasser, managing director,P&G; Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Professor Mojisola Adeyeye; CEO/Executive Secretary,American Business Council, Mrs Margaret Olele;Temitope Iluyemi, Director, Global Govt. Relations &Public Policy,P&G; and Olaseni Ashiru, government affairs and policy director, West Africa at Johnson and Johnson, at the event.
The NAFDAC DG, who briefed the audience on the new development in the agency, in the area of ICT, said they are setting up electronic platforms for all transactions, ranging from e-registration, e-clearance, e-permit, in such a way that companies can properly relate with them without face- to- face communication, which will make their work easier and faster.
She further assured stakeholders and investors on the best performance of NAFDAC during her tenure, stating that although they are civil servants, but they don’t work like civil service organisations, because NAFDAC is deadline crazy under her administration.
L-R: Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Professor Mojisola Adeyeye; George Nasser, managing director,P&G;Temitope Iluyemi, Director, Global Govt. Relations &Public Policy,P&G; at the event.
American Business Council Secretary explains motive for the meeting
According to the CEO/Executive Secretary, American Business Council, Mrs Margaret Olele, “The American Business Council is the voice of American investments in Nigeria and the Nigerian Affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce. Working with the US Mission and other partners, we drive trade and investment opportunities between Nigeria and United States of America in the interest of its member companies and both countries. Our overarching goal is to support sustainable socio-economic reform initiatives in Nigeria through public policy advocacy, promotion and implementation.
In line with the Federal Government’s objective on improving the ease of doing business in the country, it is imperative for stakeholders and the media to share their perspectives with the DG of NAFDAC, in order to have an organised and healthy society”.
It was Donald Trump, president of the United States, who recently said, “Without passion you don’t have energy, without energy you have nothing”. Thus, for Isah Dahiru, president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, what drives his passion for Pharmacy is, according to him, the desire to care for the disadvantaged in society. In this interview with Pharmanews, the 500-level scholar revealed the peculiarities of studying Pharmacy in the northern part of the country, as well as the achievements and plans of his administration. Excerpts:
What motivated you to study Pharmacy?
So many factors motivated me to study Pharmacy, but the most notable among them was my encounter with a pharmacist who used to visit my grandfather, some years back, to collect some herbal leaves that were mostly common in the north. There was a day I asked him, “What are you doing with these northern herbal leaves?” His response was that they were more effective than conventional medicines. Thereafter, he inspired and triggered in me the passion for Pharmacy. He made me to understand that, after my studies, I could standardise the herbal drugs.
Another reason I chose to study Pharmacy is that I want to establish my own pharmaceutical premises and take care of orphans, especially the almajiris (local name for urchins in the north), the homeless and those people with mental health challenges that are roaming about in dirty clothes, without shelter and without a good life.
I sometimes imagine the kind of hardship being faced by those who fall sick and have no means of taking care of themselves. I want to have my private establishment to celebrate the beauty of life with the less privileged.
Isah Dahiru, president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State.
How did you become PANS-ABU president?
My best moment in life is when I am doing something that will help somebody. When I was in 200 level, I had the opportunity to represent my class in the pharmacy parliament, a legislative arm of PANS. Also, in my 300 level, I was elected as the financial secretary of PANS-ABU. I also served as the editor-in-chief of Pharmaceutical Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (PMSSN) ABU chapter.
In my fourth year, I was elected as the contact person and Nigeria’s official representative to the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF-Netherlands), concurrently serving as secretary general of PMSSN. The journey was not an easy one, but we made it all the way.
At the end of my 400 level, I contested for the presidential seat against two other contestants and emerged as the winner. My main reason for participating in my local chapter PANS politics is to deliver an administration that will maximise the potentials of my fellow students, both academically and morally, and to also make a history in the sands of time with regards to students’ welfare and accord them necessary opportunities that will make them better in their societies.
What achievements have you recorded and what challenges have you encountered so far?
We were inaugurated in January 2018. Despite that we have achieved so many things, notable among which was the free registration exercise carried out for newly admitted pharmacy students. We have recorded massive success in this regard.
We have our year planner which contains an array of our activities from January 2018 to August 2018 when we shall be handing over to the next administration. Our year planner contains projects which we have divided into recurrent and capital. Our recurrent projects are the activities that we hope to carry out on day-to-day basis. These include sensitisation programmes on drug abuse and irrational use of medicines, which will include drug tests, health outreaches, media reach-outs and many more. Provisions of notebooks, faculty cleaning exercise, academic symposia, recreational activities and talent hunts are all part of our recurrent activities.
Our capital projects are mainly structural establishments, such as establishment of students’ recreational garden, construction of faculty sign board, fluorescent inscription in all classes, door tags for staff offices, modification of our walkways and renovation of our PANS secretariat to mention a few. The journey has just started but we are much more than determined to fulfil on our promises.
The present Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ABU, Zaria, started as a Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology under the Faculty of Sciences in 1968. Over the years, what would you say have been the challenges facing pharmacy education in the school and how best can they be tackled?
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences ABU, Zaria, is no doubt one of the best schools of pharmacy, not only in Nigeria but around the world. The faculty started under the Faculty of Sciences, awarding BSc. Pharmacy; but over the years it has developed into B. Pharm. awarding faculty. We are hoping that the recent approval of the PharmD. Programme will take effect soon.
Challenges are inevitable; they are everywhere. As the students’ union leader, I interact with so many students, and the most common problem I often hear students complain about is the archaic method of teaching through dictation of notes, without adequate explanation by some lecturers. The world is more of a global village due to the influence of information technology; so, audio-visual teaching and other modern techniques are now the order of the day. Despite the availability of modern teaching aids, well-equipped laboratories and the digitalisation policy by the university, the archaic method of teaching continues to cause much hardship for students.
Accommodation problem is another major challenge being faced by pharmacy students, especially those in 300 level, in ABU. All 300 level students are not entitled to accommodation on campus, perhaps because they go on Industrial Training and Teaching Practice at this level. But 300 level pharmacy students do not participate in any out-of-school programmes as such. So it is unfair and unjust to deny them accommodation on campus. Through this policy, pharmacy students are made to suffer unnecessary hardship. We have been complaining over the years, but nothing has been done to solve this problem. I think a major solution to this problem would be provision of a hostel, specifically for pharmacy students. In this regard, pharmaceutical industries and well-meaning pharmacists may have to come to our aid.
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) recently accredited the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in your school, alongside those of other 17 universities. How do you feel about this development?
I feel more than excited that our school has met the accreditation standard required by the PCN. Since inception of my pharmacy education in ABU, I have trusted the capacity of the school because the faculty staff are up to date, the students are ready to learn, and above all, the faculty management is ever ready to support any development that will move the faculty forward. So we thank almighty God for this achievement.
Are there challenges associated with studying Pharmacy in the north compared to the south?
Here in the north, the schools of pharmacy are very few, compared to the south; so this makes it very difficult to secure admission easily. Secondly, when I was at the PANS national convention which held at Nnamdi Azikwe University, Anambra in 2016, I noticed that the interaction and moral upbringing of pharmacy students in the southern part of Nigeria compared to ours is not the same with ours. I think the reason is because we have Moral Philosophy being taken as a course here; so those of us here hardly discriminate on the basis of gender or regional differences. I hope this is also applicable in other parts of the country.
When you finish from pharmacy school, which area of pharmacy practice would you consider and why?
I would consider community practice. As I said earlier, I want to see myself very close to orphans, almajiris, people with disabilities and those with mental health challenges. Community pharmacy, I think, can bring me closer to these categories of people. I also hope to help in fighting drug abuse and misuse.
Where do you see PANS-ABU by the time you will be leaving office as the president?
By the time I would be leaving office, I would love to see a PANS that has become far better than I met it. I am concerned about leaving behind a long-lasting legacy that would continue to have positive impacts on pharmacy students even when I am no longer here.
This is to remind all that the resit assessment examination for foreign-trained medical and dental graduates is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 28 February 2018.
Venue for the Computer-Based Test (CBT) is :
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) National Headquarters
Complex, Suleja Road, Bwari, FCT
Poised to stem the ugly tide of substance abuse and misuse, especially among the youths, in the country, members of the Muslim Pharmacists Association of Nigeria (MPAN), Lagos State branch, have advised Nigerian students to shun drug abuse and misuse because of the potential dangers to their health as well as their future.
The advice was given during a recent programme organised by the association and held within the premises of Ansar-ud-Deen Girls’ High School, Itire, Lagos State recently.
In her speech at the event, Pharm. (Mrs) Hafsat Adeshina,
Cross section of students and teachers at the programme
a one-time national executive of the Association of Lady’s Pharmacists (ALPs), noted that the programme was part of the ideals of the association, urging the students to shun irrational use of drugs and other unwholesome conducts, in order to safeguard their future and reduce the burden of diseases in the society.
She further admonished the youngsters to avoid drug abuse based on peer pressure, noting that many young people had destroyed their future as a result of using illicit drugs.
“The number one medium that exposes these children to drug abuse is peer pressure, when they meet their mates who engage in substance abuse and they too feel pressurised to do the same, from there they gradually become an addict,” she said.
Agbabiaka urged students to desist from cough medicine misuse
Speaking in the same vein, one of the speakers, Pharm. Hafsat Agbabiaka, advised the students to make use of the lectures and educate their friends and families back at home, noting that the health and social hazards of involvement in substance abuse have enormous consequences on their families and society at large.
Lamenting the rapid increase in substance abuse and addiction among youths, Agbabiaka said that many teenagers were abusing cough medicines containing codeine, stating that all hands must be on deck to curb the trend before it’s too late.
Speaking earlier with Pharmanews, one of the facilitators at the event, Pharm. Ismail Kola Sunmonu, said the essence of the event was to educate and sensitise the students on the dangers and consequences of drug abuse which according to him is on the increase in the recent past.
In his words, “It is disheartening to note that so many Nigerian youths are into illicit drug use, which is capable of ruining lives, homes, families and the country. And it is high time you and I rise to the occasion by saying “no” to substance abuse, which is gradually destroying the young generation in our country.”
Sunmonu listed the causes of substance abuse to include peer pressure, low self-esteem, need to ease tension or relax among others, unnecessary exposure to songs and videos that promote drug abuse, stressing on the Science Student song by Olamide.
According to him, the song is laced with lyrics that not only encourage the intake of hard drug but shamelessly misinform the listeners on how to mix illicit substances.
“So, in my own opinion, the song should not only be declared unfit to be aired, but should be totally banned because the profligate mention and promotion of illegal drugs has made the song unlawful,” he said.
Appreciation to participants and organisers
In her appreciation speech at the end of the programme, the HOD, Technical, Ansar-ud-Deen Girls’ High School, Mrs Mariam Ajayi, who represented the Principal, thanked MPAN for the programme.
Nurses under the aegis of University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA) have called for the establishment of more Neuropsychiatric hospitals across Nigeria.
The Association observed that existing Neuropsychiatric facilities are stretched beyond their capacities due to increasing incidence of mental health challenges among Nigerians.
In a statement on Monday by the National Secretary of UGONSA, Nur. G.I. Nshi, the association said it observed that depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation and post-traumatic stress disorders are on the rise in the country, owing to unbearable level of stress probably orchestrated by the harsh economic reality in the land.
It said: “The existing mental health facilities have been overstretched beyond their capacity. Nurses and physicians in mental health facilities across this country are overworked beyond their carrying capacity and are adversely exposed to increased level of clinical harms. Regrettably, their hazard allowance remains the insulting sum of five thousand naira in a country that pays political office holders millions of naira as newspaper allowance.
It cited the example of the South-East, Nigeria and identified that the whole of Ebonyi State is served by a 24 – bedded psychiatric ward of Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA). This ward has 26 nurses and 21 physicians, 1 EEG machine, 1 suction machine, 1 ECT machine, and 1 sphygmomanometer serving the whole of Ebonyi State and beyond.
With the current shut down of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, by industrial crisis, the Mental Health Unit of FETHA is now almost the only alternative for the people of the South-East, Zone.
This calls for urgent need to expand the Psychiatric Ward of FETHA to a fully fledged Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital. This should not only be for South-East zone. It should be replicated across other zones of the country as well.
The increasing incidence of mental health challenges facing the country require that we upgrade the existing facilities, update their equipments, build more centres, engage more professional healthcare workers and reward them appropriately by making an upward review of their hazard allowance.
It is high time the Federal Government made concerted effort to promote the mental health of the citizens- the statement concluded.
Pharm. Oladipupo Taofik Odukoya is the founder and chief executive officer of Vanguard Pharmacy Limited, one of the fastest growing pharmacy, supermarket and veterinary chain stores in Southwest, Nigeria.
An astute professional, Odukoya possesses a rich educational background, which includes a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Obafemi Awolowo University and a master’s degree in the same programme from the University of Ibadan. He further bagged a business certification in Budgetary Control and Business Administration from Lagos Business School. He is currently a doctoral researcher in Business Administration at Walden University, Minneapolis, in the USA with a view to earning a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).
Pharm. Oladipupo Taofik Odukoya
With over 15 years’ experience in pharmacy practice, Odukoya is a top performing pharmaceutical management consultant, offering professional expertise in entrepreneurship, business management, market development and customer relations.
In recognition of his hard work and contribution to the growth of pharmacy practice, he has been conferred with various awards, including: Pfizer Award of Excellence in collaboration by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria; Pharmalliance Inspiration Award and Award of Excellence by the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS).
Odukoya’s work experience comprises stints with foremost pharmaceutical giants like May & Baker and Nigeria-German Chemicals Plc, where he spent well over five years building his reputation as a top-performing market development staff. Among other proficiencies, he specialises in creating strong product identity and applying unique selling techniques in perpetuating corporate growth.
Odukoya has been successfully running his Vanguard pharmacy business for the past 11 years, with an annual growth rate that validates his judicious use of experience, skill acquisition and academic achievement.
Vanguard Pharmacy started out in a 30 square meters store in 2006 before moving to its current head office in 2011. It subsequently gave rise to the second branch in Ventura Mall, Ibadan on 19 July 2015 and also its Abeokuta branch 10 September 2016. Odukoya recently opened up his fourth branch in Osogbo last December and still hopeful of expanding the stores across board.
Married to Bolajoko Odukoya (now executive director of Vanguard Pharmacy), the couple is blessed with children.
Curbing the endemic abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs is a major challenge in most countries of the world. According to the 2016 World Drug Report published by the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime, there are approximately 247 million drug users worldwide.
One of the significant issues concerning drug abuse is the high risk for developing an addiction. Efforts by researchers to find an effective treatment for drug addiction had proved abortive for years – until Professor Bankole Johnson, a Nigerian-American Professor of Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Neurology discovered that the solution was in topiramate, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) facilitator and glutamate antagonist.
Today he is widely acclaimed as a pioneer in the development of medications for the treatment of alcohol, as well as being one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of drug addiction. He is also a licensed physician and board-certified psychiatrist throughout Europe and the United States and served as Alumni Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia.
Professor Bankole Johnson
Publication and recognition
Prof. Johnson’s research paper on his topiramate findings was published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and titled “Topiramate for treating alcohol dependence: a randomised controlled trial”. Soon after, the work gained national and international media attention. The study results were featured on several media outlets and brought him greater recognition. He appeared in the Home Box Office (HBO) original documentary feature, “Addiction”, which won the prestigious Governors Award, a special Emmy Award, from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the year 2007. He has been listed in “Best Doctors in America” in 2007, 2009-2010, by Best Doctors Inc.
Interestingly, that discovery by Prof. Johnson was just the culmination of all the efforts he had made towards finding a lasting solution to the problem of addiction. In fact, as far back as 2001, his efforts had started to gain recognition and he had been given the Dan Anderson Research Award from the Hazelden Foundation for his “distinguished contribution as a researcher who has advanced the scientific knowledge of addiction recovery.” Two years later, he was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame for his contributions to science, mathematics, and technology.
Educational background
Prof. Johnson was born on 5 November 1959 in Nigeria. In 1970, after the Nigerian civil war, he gained admission into King’s College in Lagos and received his senior secondary certificate in 1975. He also received a general diploma at Davies’ College in Sussex, England, followed by a diploma in French Studies at the Institute Catholique de Paris in Paris, France.
He was admitted into the University of Glasgow, Scotland in 1977 and graduated in 1982 with a Medicinae Baccalaureum et Chirurgie Baccalaureum degree. He went on to specialise in psychiatry at the Royal London and Maudsley and Bethlem Royal Hospitals, and to train in research at the Institute of Psychiatry (University of London).
In 1991, he graduated from the University of London with a Master of Philosophy degree in neuropsychiatry. He conducted his doctoral research at Oxford University and obtained a doctorate degree in medicine, Medicinae Doctorem, from the University of Glasgow in 1993. Most recently, in 2004, he earned his Doctor of Science degree in medicine from the University of Glasgow – the highest degree that can be granted in science by a British university.
Career
In 1993, Prof. Johnson joined the faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Centre in Houston and later became the deputy chairman for research and chief of the division of Alcohol and Drug Addiction in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Centre in San Antonio in 1998.
In 2002, the erudite researcher received the Distinguished Senior Scholar of Distinction Award from the National Medical Association. He also received the American Psychiatric Association Distinguished Psychiatrist Lecturer Award, in 2006 for outstanding achievement in the field of psychiatry as an educator, researcher, and clinician.
Prof. Johnson is a recipient of the Solomon Carter Fuller Award (2009) from the American Psychiatric Association which honours individuals who have pioneered in an area that has benefited significantly the quality of life for black people. He also received the Jack Mendelson Award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in 2013.
Prof. Johnson has served as a board member of many prestigious medical councils and institutions in the United States. These include Medications Development Subcommittee of NIDA’s Advisory Council on Drug Abuse, (2004–2007); Extramural Advisory Board for NIH/NIAAA, (2004–present); and Medications Development Scientific Advisory Board for NIH/NIDA, (2005–2009).
In September 2004, Prof. Johnson accepted an appointment to serve as Alumni Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2007. In 2009 Johnson was named associate editor of the editorial board of The American Journal of Psychiatry, and from 2010 to 2011 he served as field editor-in-chief of Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Research focus
Prof. Johnson’s research focus is on the neuro-psychopharmacology of addiction. His work integrates the neuroscience and behavioural aspects of addiction medicine with the goal of formulating a more thorough understanding of the basis of drug-seeking behaviour and developing effective treatments.
The focal point of his research is the role and interaction between midbrain monoamine systems with a focus on serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/glutamate and dopamine.
One of the interesting things about alcohol dependence is that alcohol itself is a weakly-addictive drug which has no receptors in the brain, unlike other psychoactive drugs. If it was powerfully addictive, almost everybody in the world would be addicted to alcohol. 60 per cent of alcohol-dependence is inherited and about 40 per cent is acquired. Treatment outcomes vary in different individuals because only the acquired traits of the alcoholics are usually considered.This means that if you don’t have a specialised pharmacological treatment of any kind, then you would only be working on the 40 per cent of the disease, which is not particularly effective.
Another interesting fact is that alcohol dependence has a very high spontaneous remission rate, according to Prof. Johnson. This means that, of any given four patients with alcohol dependence, one of them will recover spontaneously in one year.
Prof. Johnson seeks to focus his treatment on the ambivalent, weak-willed persons who don’t really want treatment, because they’re the most vulnerable. His current research involves clinical trials and human laboratory studies, and includes neuroimaging and molecular genetics.
He now incorporates neuroimaging evaluations into his drug interaction studies to identify the site-specific effects of abused drugs and to evaluate the effectiveness of potential medications for the treatment of addiction. Current studies include a clinical trial aimed at determining the effectiveness of ondansetron, a serotonin-3 antagonist, for the treatment of subtypes of alcoholism, as well as a human laboratory project trying to elucidate the effects of naltrexone and acamprosate on hepatic and renal function in alcohol-dependent individuals.
The quest to improve inter-professional collaboration among healthcare professionals (HCP) received a major boost recently, with the launch of the IQVIA HCP Space, an online networking platform that could prove to be the long sought panacea for fostering harmony in the Nigerian healthcare system.
A careful analysis of the nature, structure, scope and objectives of the new networking platform shows that it is a trailblazing bridge-building tool that can help enhance not just collaboration among healthcare providers but also serve as a great means of enhancing efficiency, capacity utilisation and quality healthcare delivery to patients in the nation’s healthcare sector. This is because, to achieve better and desired healthcare outcomes for patients, healthcare professionals must work together in harmony and eschew competition while embracing collaboration. This is the trend in developed climes that are making giant strides in healthcare delivery and Nigeria cannot afford to continue to lag behind.
L-R: Chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Olurotimi Awojide; PSN President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai; Chairman of the Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; NMA President Mike Ogirima; Assistant Director, Nursing Service, Ministry of Health, Lagos State, Mrs Sola Aketi, and (behind) IQVIA Country Manager, Pharm. Remi Adeseun, at the event.
Indications began to emerge that the platform was poised to be historic and revolutionary in the history of the Nigerian health sector when key leaders of the various healthcare professions in the country jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pledge their commitment to support the initiative and other measures aimed at promoting collaboration and teamwork in the health sector. The signatories included Prof. Mike Ogirima, president, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA); Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN); and Comrade Abdulrafiu Adeniji, president, Nigerian Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Lagos State.
We commend the gestures of these healthcare leaders, as well those of the creators of this ground-breaking initiative; and call on all other stakeholders in the health sector and, indeed, all Nigerians to make it a holistic success. This is not just because of the potentialities of the platform but because of its timeliness. This is the digital age and utilising the digital platform for interprofessional collaboration is no doubt the best way to go at this time.
It is equally noteworthy that the IQVIA HCP Space launch and the signing of the MoU by healthcare leaders is a culmination of previous efforts aimed at promoting inter-professional collaboration by stakeholders. The breakthrough began with the joint conference of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) and the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA) held in Las Vegas in 2016, and followed up by the epoch-making symposium organised by the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy in 2017, which was graced by most of the leaders of the different health groups in the country. It is thus gratifying that those noble efforts are moving for the realm of dreams to realities with the launch of this online platform.
We urge all health professionals and stakeholders in the sector not to allow the IQVIA HCP Space innovation to be just another layer in the talk of inter-professional collaboration in the nation. It must be embraced as a game-changer that will take this much needed partnership for progress by healthcare practitioners from mere talk to tangible and beneficial actions.
We also urge the regulators of all the healthcare professional groups, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the Nursing and Midwifery Council and others to also seize this as an opportunity to work together not just for professional development but for the good of the patient.
The management of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has announced the accreditation of its Centre for Human Virology and Genomics (CHVG) as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Prequalification Evaluating Laboratory.
Disclosing the feat to news men during a press conference at the institute’s auditorium, Thursday, the Director General, Professor Babatunde Salako noted that the NIMR’s Laboratory is the first to obtain such approval in West Africa.
The import of the achievement, said the DG “is that the laboratory is now listed as a WHO Prequalification Evaluating Laboratory to perform evaluation of In Vitro Diagnostics either coordinated by WHO or commissioned by the manufacturers”.
For Nigerians, he explained that the attainment of this WHO’s recognition will bring about a reduction in cases of misdiagnosis, as the institute has got capacity to determine best rapid test kits for the populace among all the kits imported into the country for testing of HIV, Hepatitis B and C.
NIMR’s Directors and executives after the press briefing
Narrating the approval procedures, Salako noted how the laboratory initially applied for the WHO Prequalification in May 2017 but was turned down due to some identified non-conformances which were fixed, and on their next visit to the institution, the WHO Geneva auditing team re-audited the laboratory on 22 January 2018, and after careful examination, the auditors were satisfied with corrective actions, thereafter declared the CHVG as a WHO Evaluating Laboratory.
The enlisting of the CHVG’s laboratory as a WHO Prequalification Evaluating Laboratory makes the total number of such laboratories ten the world over. They are located in eight countries of the world namely, Australia, Belgium, France, India, Nigeria, South Africa (20, Tanzania and United Kingdom (2).
The Deputy Director of Research, NIMR, Dr Rosemary Audu, noted another merit of the achievement, which is medical tourism. She said this will drastically bring about reduction in people travelling abroad over medical diagnosis, as they can rely on medical results from NIMR’s CHVG’s laboratory as authentic.
Pharmacoepidemiology: A ❏ is the study of the use and effects of drugs in a large number of people B ❏ concerns adverse reactions C ❏ relates to drug elimination from the body D ❏ is the analysis of drug disposition factors E ❏ relates to drug wastage
The Director of Disease Control in Edo State, Osamuwonyi Irowa, says the state has recorded 521 suspected cases of Lassa fever this month.
Mr. Irowa, a medical doctor, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Emergency Operation Centre on Lassa fever in Benin on Wednesday.
He said 124 cases have been confirmed out of the 521 suspected cases recorded in 13 local government areas of the state.
The director also said 15 deaths were recorded with 509 cases under surveillance, while 10 suspected cases had developed symptoms.
Inaugurating the centre, the Deputy Governor of the state, Phillip Shaibu, said that the Lassa fever response mechanism was aimed at ensuring a coordinated control of the epidemic.
He charged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to encourage volunteers to support their staff for effective control of the disease.
He assured that the state government was working towards building isolation centres to decongest the patient population at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.
All over the world, patients seek cost-effective medicines. This means that they want drugs that are affordable and are still effective. This is valid, as it is standard practice to make treatment cost-effective. Generic brands are one way to meet this need, as they do not go through the discovery, development, research and clinical trial process of the branded drugs, and are therefore produced and sold at lower prices.
Branded drugs, on the other hand, are the innovators of the compound; they undergo laboratory tests, carry out research and development of the drug, and conduct clinical trials and market survey before being released into the market. This process is very expensive, as the estimated cost of producing a new drug is 802 million dollars. For the pharmaceutical companies involved to recoup their funds, they are given the patent rights that last for a certain period to make back the funds spent on the development of the new drug. This would translate into high cost of the drug to the final consumer.
When comparing generics with branded drugs, the most important factor to consider is the bioequivalence profile, which, simply put, is the rate and extent to which the active ingredient is available at the site of drug action when administered at the same dose. This also means that the rate at which these drugs are metabolised and distributed in the plasma, and eliminated in the blood, must be the same. Hence, the next time you want to purchase generics, do so from a registered pharmacy as this will ensure you get safer generics. Other similar characteristics branded drugs and generics should have include good quality packaging, same strength of active ingredients, same taste if in syrup form, and the same name of active ingredient.
Pharm. Ayodeji Oni
Some people’s scepticism about using generic drugs is valid as there are some that fall short of the above primary and secondary characteristics. It is however the prerogative of a registered pharmacist to guide the patient on making the best choice.
It is a World Health Organisation pro public health initiative for drugs to be prescribed using generics only. This helps with simplification of language to reduce medication error and also help reduce any bias to dispense only one particular brand/generic that may be adulterated or be harmful to patients. A registered pharmacy only procures approved standards of generics, making it less likely to come across counterfeit medicines there.
However, drugs with narrow therapeutic index (e.g. antiepileptic medicines) usually should not be substituted, as a little deviation in bioequivalence could cause therapeutic failure. However, the same level of observed deviations could sometimes be seen between different batches of the same brands, too.
With the wide range of generics flooding the market, the monitoring of standards to maintain the similarities between them and their branded counterparts is questionable. Much more effort must be directed towards ensuring quality control of generic alternatives. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out comprehensive tests to achieve this, thereby ensuring that the approval of these generic brands into the market is up to standard.
It is recommended that pharmacists, retailers and wholesalers ensure proper purchasing management and strict regulatory measures. Also, it is important that patients know the actual content of their drugs instead of only the brand names; this will enable the pharmacist give the best advice on their medications.
The need to creating avenues to enlighten the general public on the need to patronise only registered pharmacies cannot be over-emphasised, as they provide the most suitable range of branded and generic medicines to meet the needs of their communities.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and an end. Each year brings us a fresh opportunity to start all over again and work towards achieving our purpose in life. Since we use the Gregorian calendar to count our days on earth, it is quite logical to plan for your next level at the beginning of the year.
But then, it must be said that 80 per cent of people who set goals for themselves for the year often abandon it by second week of February. The questions include, why do people easily give up on their goals? Why are few people moving from strength to strength year in, year out, while many other folks are stuck for years at a particular level? What differentiates between the winners and the masses?
I’ve dedicated 11 years of my life to studying personal growth and what makes the difference between the champions and the losers. Based on personal experiences and result- oriented principles and practices that have worked for thousands of individuals from all walks of life for ages across the globe, there are three practical steps you can take to become a winner and make your 2018 your best year ever.
Ask intelligently: The first step towards accomplishing any worthy achievement is deep desire. To ask for what we want in life with clarity. You need to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals. Write them down. Think through them. Read them often, at least twice daily. Your goals must connect you to your dreams. Connect your results to the right and genuine reasons that will inspire you not to give up as you strive hard to achieve your objectives. Ask intelligently, and you are half way to receiving what you ask for. Review your goals on a weekly basis. Monitor your progress and make adjustment as necessary. The good news about asking is, we have the power to ask as much as we deeply desire and believe we deserve.
Pharm. Sesan Kareem
Believe wholeheartedly: Belief is a state of mind that gives you the confidence that what you asked for is already yours. If you believe it is yours, it is yours. If you believe that it isn’t yours, it isn’t yours. If you believe you can, you can. If you believe you cannot, you cannot. Believing is seeing. To the uninitiated in the science of achievements and the art of fulfilment, seeing is believing, and so they are stuck because they plan and work with little imagination and lousy faith. But the winners believe and they receive. True believing is characterised by deploying massive action, determination, persistence, commitment, concentration, creativity, perseverance and dedication on your road to turning your goals to reality. Believe in yourself; you can achieve your goals. No matter your level of education, desire or plans, if you don’t believe in yourself, you will keep getting the same results and operating on the same level. Use repeated affirmations and visualisation to boost your confidence level. It really works.
Receive carefully: After asking intelligently, believing wholeheartedly by taking action and persevering until you achieve your results, the magical thing that will follow is to receive. Celebrate your win, but don’t rest too long, the work must continue. The entire process must be started all over again. You must be happy and contented for who you are and what you have accomplished but never be satisfied with your results. There is always room for improvement and the best is yet to come. Stay hungry. Remember, you are a champion.
I believe 2018 can be a remarkable year for you if you efficiently apply the above principles. It looks too simple. But don’t let the simplicity of the ideas above deceive you. True genius lies in simplicity. The above tips helped me to achieve amazing results in 2017 and they have helped thousands of achievers across our world to do the same. They will help you get amazing results if you apply them religiously.
I hope that by the end of 2018, when you look back to reflect on your performance throughout the year, you will be so proud of what you have achieved and who you have become because you’ve asked intelligently, believed wholeheartedly and received carefully.
ACTION PLAN: Write down your goals, read them out twice daily and go to work on them. Use affirmations and imagination to build your belief system. Stay hungry
AFFIRMATION: I have made 2018 my best year ever. I am blessed and highly favoured.
Pharm. (Dr) Ahmed Tijani Mora, former registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), foundation dean, Kaduna State University (KASU), and visiting professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Igbinedion University (IUO), Okada, Edo State, has launched a book on drug distribution.
The book, The Lizard Shape Model in Drug Distribution in Nigeria, an updated version of the first edition launched in 2014 was unveiled during a well-attended ceremony held at the Empowerment Centre, Gabriel Akinmade Taylor Plaza, Allen Avenue, Lagos State recently.
The event was graced by stakeholders from both health and education sector. They included, Rtd Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, director general, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); Chief Dr Stella Okoli, founder and chairman, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, who was the chairperson of the occasion; Prof. Gabriel E. Osuide, pioneer director general, National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), who was the special guest of honour; Pharm. Dr S. Okey Akpa, national chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN); Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited and Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former president and chief executive officer, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc.
Dignitaries at the official unveiling of the book authored by Pharm. (Dr) Ahmed Tijani Mora, former registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN)
Others were Prof. O.O Kunle, acting director general, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD); HRH, Igwe Pharm. Alex Uzo Onyido, Igwe Ezechuan Agha 1 of Ogidi, Anambra State, who was the royal father of the day; Prof. Peter Aziba, who represented the vice-chancellor, Igbinedion University (IUO), Okada, Edo State; Pharm. (Mrs) C.C Onunkwo, who represented the director, Food and Drugs Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja; Mrs. Cecilia U. Gayya, director general, ASCON, Badagry; Pharm. Augustine Ezeugwu, zonal director, PCN, who represented the registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Pharm. Elijah Mohammed, Mr. Abdulrahaman Rajab, who represented the minister of state for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar; Prof. U. U. Pateh, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, who reviewed the book and also represented the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), University of Jos, Plateau State, Prof. Nelson Ochekpe and Prof. E. N. Sokomba, former chairman, PCN, among others.
Speaking with Pharmanews, an elated Prof. Ahmed Tijani Mora, noted that since the publication and public presentation of the first edition of the book in May, 2014, many practitioners across the country have been scrambling to get copies. According to him, the demand was high to the extent that the first 1,000 copies published were exhausted. This, in his opinion, justified publishing of the second edition which was an updated version of the first, with more recent data and information.
Speaking on the reason for the unique name of the book “The Lizard Shape Model in Drug Distribution in Nigeria”, the university don explained that the book is not on the biology of lizards, but rather about drugs that affect the human body system. “Besides, the manufacture of pharmaceuticals products to their ultimate destination in officially designated healthcare premises for citizens to access is a long journey,” he said.
Editor-In-Chief of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) Lagos State Chapter, Pharm. Paul Olatunbosun Owolabi, has raised the alarm over what he calls “incursion into pharmacy practice by charlatans and quacks,” saying the impact of these groups is like an infectious disease that has entered into the system, silently killing the practice. Speaking with Pharmanews in an exclusive interview recently, Pharm. Owolabi, managing director, Lighthouse Pharmacy, Ifako/Ijaiye, Lagos State, equally tasked the federal government to help curb the rate at which young people are exposed to hard drugs in the country. Excerpts:
As an experienced community pharmacist, how would you assess pharmacy practice in this part of the state?
Pharm. Paul Olatunbosun Owolabi
I have practised in almost all the technical arms of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), but community practice seems to be the most challenging because almost everybody in this part of the world sees it is a business venture where they can invest money and make profit at will, without minding the professionalism aspect of it. So, the practice in this part of the country is greatly challenged.
Tell us about your outfit, Lighthouse Pharmacy. What is the philosophy behind its establishment and where do you hope to take the business to in five years?
We started about seven years ago to render pharmaceutical services to members of the public in our neighbourhood, both far and near, while prioritising family wellness, drug and health Information. So, in five years’ time by the grace of God, we hope to have more branches and many more services
What is Lighthouse Pharmacy doing differently as at present that stands you out in community pharmacy practice?
As I mentioned earlier, family wellness is our major priority and we are doing this with special benefit for the senior citizens, specifically those above 65 years, widows, and others. This is one of the aims and objectives of our non-governmental organisation called Charity Foundation, which is being run in partnership with my wife here in Lagos, Ifako Ijaye Local Government, to be precise.
As the new editor-in-chief of Lagos ACPN, tell us about your new position.
It’s almost a year now that I came into the office, so the position is an opportunity to serve pharmacy profession, passing vital and valuable information that will enhance the practice to colleagues through newsletters, journals, social media, online channels, newspaper publications and other medium, in such a way that the general public can also have access to information at their level. However, sponsorship is our major challenge, as there are projects to be funded majorly through adverts and donations, so that copies can be distributed free to all technical group members, even government agencies.
It can be tough combining community pharmacy practice with active involvement in ACPN activities. How do you intend to manage this?
Very tough indeed, it is a big sacrifice that I have to make, but I have the passion to contribute my little efforts, knowledge and experience in organising and forming a good structure to make things work, irrespective of the challenges.
What do you think is wrong with the way community pharmacy is being practised in Nigeria?
Most people think it is a trade business and not a professional service. Unfortunately we have allowed and are still licensing traders who are like an infectious disease to enter into the system. I pray they will not turn into a “cancer” before we realise that no matter how well you decorate a pig, it will still find its way into the mud. In advanced countries, only trained professionals handle drugs; but here in Nigeria, it is a free-for-all.
Drug abuse has been on the increase in recent times. Tell us your experience on this, and how it can be curtailed?
This is a full topic of discussion on its own because drug abuse in the 21st century has taken new dimensions. Substances that are meant for different use are being abused. This involves males and females, young and old, men and women, married and single. Recently the Nigerian House of Assembly raised the alarm over the rate at which cough syrups with codeine preparations are being abused by various categories of the population in the north. Some use them as beverages stored in the refrigerator. Tramadol abuse is on the increase. The heart-breaking thing is that a good percentage of the youth who are the leaders of tomorrow may end up facing the consequences of drug abuse, giving them no hope of doing well in future. Most become criminals like armed robbers, assassins, suicide bombers and rapists just to mention few.
Pharmacists who are the custodians of drugs have a major role to play. Drug manufacturers and community pharmacists do not need to wait for government policies or agencies before we do what is right. We must control the manufactured quantities, sales, distribution and dispensing of codeine-containing cough syrups, using our professional judgments, not allowing monetary gains to blindfold us.
How cordial is your relationship with the people of this community, and how lucrative is pharmacy business here?
God has helped us to be relevant in this community as we have intervened in many hopeless medical situations. Most of the times, our opinions are being used when certain decisions are to be made in the community. Our services and business angle is increasing on daily basis and people are willing to recommend us to their neighbours.
Poised to pragmatically drive cooperation among all healthcare professionals in the country, the leadership of the Nigerian healthcare team, comprising President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Mike Ogirima; President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai; and President of the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Abdulrafiu Adeniji, have recently endorsed the recently launched IQVIA HCP virtual space as the long awaited collaborative instrument to bring about the desired change in the Nigerian healthcare system.
In addition to lauding the healthcare professional digital networking platform, the healthcare team leaders also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to prove their unalloyed commitment to teamwork in the industry.
The health professionals took this bold step at the official launch of the IQVIA HCP Space, held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, on 6 February, 2018, under the distinguished chairmanship of Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi.
Chairman, IQVIA HCP Space, Dr Femi Olugbile, while welcoming guests at the event, noted the aptness of the launch of the digital platform at a time when global healthcare delivery is expected to experience a disruption from the partnership of three global market forces of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase.
L-R: Chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Olurotimi Awojide; PSN President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai; Chairman of the Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; NMA President Mike Ogirima; Assistant Director, Nursing Service, Ministry of Health, Lagos State, Mrs Sola Aketi, and (behind) IQVIA Country Manager, Pharm. Remi Adeseun, at the event.
Updating the healthcare professionals on global trends in the industry, he said Amazon, the online retail giant known for disrupting major industries; Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company led by the billionaire investor, Warren E. Buffett; and JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States by assets, have signed up a partnership for technology-based healthcare delivery, in order to overtake traditional healthcare providers.
According to Olugbile, a former chief medical director of LASUTH, Nigerian healthcare practitioners therefore need to take their professionalism beyond the four corners of their consulting rooms into the digital space, as this is the only way they can outsmart non-healthcare providers trying to gain entrance into the service of healthcare delivery across the world.
On his part, Chairman of the event, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, explained how the newly launched digital platform answered the puzzle of over 35 years on how to build a bridge across all the healthcare professionals in the country.
“The story of IQVIA HCP Space simply put paid to my search of many years,” he says.
L-R:PSN President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai; IQVIA Director, Technology Solutions, AMESA, Mr Ravi Akella; NMA President,Prof. Mike Ogirima; IQVIA Country Manager, Pharm. Remi Adeseun, Chairman of the occasion, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Representative of the Lagos State Commisioner for Health,Dr Abiola Idowu, and the Chairman of IQVIA HCP Space Advisory, Dr Femi Olugbile, signing a healthcare providers Momerandum of Understaning at the event.
He noted that the platform will put a stop gap to the consumption of misleading health information on the internet by Nigerians, adding that it would offer patients reliable health information on their conditions and the best ways to go about treatment for their ailments.
The IQVIA Country Manager, Pharm. Remi Adeseun, in an exclusive chat with Pharmanews, explained the objectives of the platform. “The IQVIA HCP Space is the digital health technological platform, to provide that opportunity in a conducive virtual environment for verified healthcare professionals. The idea is networking, not just within healthcare profession but between healthcare professions.
“This is coming from the background of an inter-professional collaboration symposium organised by the Nigeria Academy of pharmacy, where all the major healthcare professionals were present, with keynote address presented by a former minister of health, Prof Eyintayo Lambo, under the chairmanship of Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi.
“The feat was achieved and a communiqué was signed, where healthcare professionals agreed to collaborate. Many times after intentions are generated, it is discovered that there are usually no tools to walk the talk. That is what HCP Space is all about. It’s a practical tool to help healthcare professionals actualise the desired objective of collaboration.” Asked about the modalities to coordinate operations on the platform to avoid conflict of interests, he said conflict would always be welcomed, but it is how it is managed that makes the difference.
He said: “To distinguish a civilised environment from a rural community, the demonstration of the ability not to allow conflict to degenerate into combat, will be highly needed. Conflict in itself helps to refine thought processes conducted in a civilised manner. Opinions cannot be masqueraded as facts, and while opinions are free, facts are sacred.Without attempting to curtail speech, there will be regulations. That is why the environment itself has the presence of the regulators. We have the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), we have the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). A profession is known, among other things, for the ethics and rules of conducts guiding it. Thus, there will be consequences for the flouting of those rules.
“So, that being kept in mind, people will be mindful of their behaviour. But more importantly, we are talking of very well-educated people here, and that is why we are saying that your regulator must approve of your licence before you are allow to be a participant. We also have an advisory board that will always ensure that communication is well coordinated on the platform”, he stated.
The representative of the President of the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) Comrade Olurotimi Awojide, conveyed the views of nurses to the audience, stating that they were ready for collaboration. He however posed a request to the healthcare team leadership, asking them to brainstorm on how to rid the nursing profession of quackery, which he said had been a big challenge for them in the profession. He was expressed that the establishment of the platform would generate bright ideas on how to sanitise the environment against quackery.
It was celebration of life for the Chief Executive Officer of Therapeutic Laboratories Nigeria Ltd., Mr Joginder Singh Lalvani, as he clocked 90 years on 15 February, 2018.The birthday ceremony, which was well graced by his family and friends, was a 3-day event, held in India.
Born on 15 February 1928, in India, he came to Nigeria as a young adult, then established his company, Therapeutic Laboratories Nigeria Ltd.
Joginder Lalvani (3rd from right) and his family members in a group photograph.
Therapeutic was incorporated in 1978 and started business as importer of finished pharmaceuticals. Local manufacturing started in 1988 with strict adherence to quality standards in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice.
-As Alkali plans satellite pharmacies in remote villages
Dr Jide Idris, Lagos State commissioner for health, has taken a swipe at what he termed “too much concentration of pharmacists in urban areas.”
Addressing participants at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), held recently at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Idris berated the preference of some pharmacists for urban areas without consideration for those living rural areas.
“There should be equity for all, especially people in rural areas because they equally deserve to have access to good health and quality drugs. But where they don’t have access, it is the responsibility of government to do so.
Pharm. (Dr) Albert Alkali, ACPN national chairman, and Dr Jide Idris, Lagos State commissioner for health.
“We cannot say because pharmacists are concentrating more on urban areas, we should increase their cost of care. No, we need to sit and find a way to address it,” he said.
Outlining the criteria for membership of Lagos State Health Service Providers (LSHSP), the commissioner stated that every provider must be a CAC-registered legal entity, fully accredited by HEFAMAA and have a valid bank account with BVN.
“In addition, providers must disclose governance structure, possess 24 emergency rooms for primary and secondary care facilities, have medical malpractice indemnity and ensure key staff are Basic Life Support (BLS) certified,” he urged.
However, in a swift reaction to the observation of Dr Idris, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Lagos chapter, stated that the indictment of pharmacists by the commissioner was controversial.
Speaking with Pharmanews in an interview, Chairman of the association, Pharm. Abiola Paul-Ozieh, said: “I won’t say much for now. But I can say categorically that the comment attributed to the commissioner is not in good taste. Our interaction with his office shows lack of right intentions even towards the (same) rural communities.
“For instance, ask him how many clinics and hospitals are in the rural communities.”
Pharm. (Dr) Albert Alkali, ACPN national chairman, also expressed disagreement with the commissioner’s claim.
“Which amenities are there?” he asked. “If you desire to have a pharmacy in rural areas, you will definitely need to have a generator, among others. Even here in the city, one of our members was recently shot as a result of running his pharmacy for during late hours.
“It is not just enough to say pharmacists should move into rural areas to set up, the government must create the necessary basic amenities. In Australia, for instance, the government gives out subsidy for pharmacies to open in rural areas,” he said.
Speaking further, Alkali explained that the association had encouraged members to open outlets in every capital city and local government area, as well as the rural areas for those who can afford it.
“After all, we are serving the general public,” he said.
The chairman also took a swipe at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) saying enrollees were being ripped off.
According to him: “All over the world, people are contributing for all the healthcare workers, not just the doctors. That is not the case in Nigeria. Here, we have certain draconian laws and selfish individuals at the helm of affairs.
“Secondly, let us not lose sight of the fact that many of those who site their premises in cities don’t get prescriptions. Even in my position as ACPN chairman, my registered premises is yet to get a prescription. There is serious corruption going on in the health sector,” he alleged.
Alkali however reassured that the ACPN was working assiduously with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to enact a law that would see pharmacies having satellite outlets in rural areas.
He noted that the satellite pharmacy concept is one that will make pharmacies situated in urban areas have satellite outlets in rural areas. It is also expected that pharmacists who are not permanently resident in the area would embark on supervisory visits from time to time.
“This is to ensure that things are being done properly. Pharmacists who can afford to stay in such rural areas will be encouraged. But the least qualified personnel required to man those satellite centres are pharmacy technicians who have gone through basic training.
“It is not that we (community pharmacists) are insensitive to operating in rural areas. However things should be done properly. Before we reached the decision, our colleagues in hospitals, companies and industries were duly consulted,” he explained.
Also in attendance at the event were Dr Umar Sanda, president of Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria; Dr A. Adedokun, director, LASUTH clinical services and training; and Catherine Tanzamado, HCPAN AGM state coordinator.
