- Commences 21st Annual National Conference
Members of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) on Monday took the campaign against drug abuse to major streets in Sokoto city, the capital of Sokoto State. The enlightenment campaign, according to the leadership of the association was to formally kick-start the 21st edition of its Annual National Conference holding in Sokoto State.
Residents of major roads in Sokoto such as Western bypass, Kalambaina Road, Maiduguri Road, Achida Road of Gawon Nana Area among others were given educative leaflets on dangers of drug abuse and were also educated on the dangers of drug abuse in English and Hausa Languages. They were told of measures they should take to prevent drug abuse and its consequences in their community.

Speaking with Pharmanews on the significance of the enlightenment campaign, Dr Kingsley Chiedu Amibor, national chairman of AHAPN, who led other dignitaries and members of the association on the walk, said two major reasons prompted the decision of AHAPN to organise the campaign, noting that the first reason was to continue the culture/tradition of the association which entails educating the people through enlightenment walk/campaign on major streets whenever the association was having its conferences.

Secondly, the AHAPN boss said it was to let the people of Sokoto know that a major health group like AHAPN is in town for a conference that will run for five days and to urge and encourage them (residents) to be part of it.
Dr Amibor also added that the reason AHAPN decided to have the enlightenment campaign was to address the drug abuse challenge, noting that the menace has been on the rise in the country in recent time, especially among youth.

While stating that a lot more has to be done to tackle the drug abuse problem in Nigeria, Dr Amibor emphasized the need for all Nigerians to join hands in combating the challenge because it has snowballed into a social and security problem for the nation.