– As PSN Marks World Pharmacists Day 2022
The President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Prof. Cyril Usifoh, has called the attention of the Federal Government to the massive brain drain occurring in the health sector, saying the pharmaceutical industry has witnessed the emigration of well over 5000 pharmacists to Canada and UK within the last five years in search of greener pastures.
Usifoh, made a further disclosure of recent development among his members, noting that out of the 50,000 pharmacists produced in Nigeria, less than 20,000 practice in the country, which implies over 50 per cent of Nigerian pharmacists practice abroad.
He blamed national leadership for prioritising on harnessing resources beneath the ground at the detriment of abundant human capital above the ground, which the nation is blessed with, as Nigerian professionals continue to power all sectors of endeavours at home and abroad.
Stating the worth of global Pharmaceutical Industry pegged around 1.42 trillion dollars, while same industry in other climes worth more than the Nigerian Annual Budget, he said the Nigerian pharmacist is equipped with abundant potentials, which can be harnessed to transform the ailing Nigerian economy and help set the country on a recovery path.
“We observed that in the last five years, almost 5,000 pharmacists have emigrated to Canada and the UK for greener pastures just like all other healthcare workers and indeed new generations of Nigerians.
“Of the about 50,000 pharmacists produced in Nigeria, less than 20,000 practice in the country, meaning that well over 50% of Nigerian pharmacists practice abroad
“The global Pharmaceutical industry is worth about 1.42 trillion dollars and the same industry in some countries is worth more than the Nigerian Annual Budget. It, therefore, goes without saying that if Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical sector is well nurtured and adequately catered for, it will be repositioned to do exploits”, he stated.
Prof. Usifoh, in his address to the nation and pharmacists on the occasion of World Pharmacists Day 2022, usually commemorated on every 25 September, he emphasised the need for a Pharmacoeconomic colloquium, which will be geared towards developing a national master plan for a pharmacy sector revolution to generate exponential revenue by harnessing the abundant potentials of the sector.
He expansiated on the colloquium, stating that it will be an economic forum comprising leaders of Pharmacy in the private and government levels on the one hand, and on the other, all government ministries, departments and agencies involved in economic planning, forecasting and implementation.
The number-one pharmacist in the country, seized the opportunity to exposed some anomalies he and other health workers have observed at the Federal Ministry of Health, describing most responses from the ministry as frustrating for pharmacy leaders and indeed leaders of other health bodies to either advance their profession their professionals or both.
The PSN President, also hinted on the activities held by the Society in marking the WPD 2022, such as health outreaches, rallies or walks, radio and TV programmes, symposia or seminars etc. “The idea is to continue to educate and sensitize the public on health issues, create awareness of the duties and functions of pharmacists, encourage the populace to take advantage of and get more from their pharmacists, and show leaders of government agencies how pharmacists can help improve the country’s health indices and hopefully drive policy changes, etc”.
He also listed the programmes organised by the different state chapters of the PSN in commemorating the Pharmacy Week across the country including: Abia, Bayelsa, Osun, Cross River, Borno, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Ekiti, Yobe, Edo, and Abuja. Some of the programmes were health outreaches, health walk, awareness campaign, career talks, technical groups presentations, social media campaigns, foundation laying/ground breaking, symposium, among others.
”As men of honour we join hands.”
Happy world pharmacists day!