The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) recently inducted 89 graduands of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) after they have satisfactorily completed their programme at the institution.
PCN Registrar, Pharm. Babashehu Ahmed, who was ably represented by Pharm. Emmanuel Bayode, led the 89 graduands in an oath taking session. The 89 inductees graduated from the faculty during the 2021/2022 session, with Rhoda Oluwadamilola Latoya emerging as the Overall Best Graduating Student.
While speaking shortly before leading the graduands on the oath taking session, Pharm. Ahmed urged the inductees to always maintain ethical standard and also be good leaders.
The PCN boss emphasised that strict compliance to the ethics of Pharmacy is indispensable. While encouraging the inductees that they will excel, as long as they are diligent in what they do, he urged them to keep improving themselves.
He said, “PCN frowns at professional misconducts, so I urge you to refrain from it. I am also urging you to refrain from all forms of dishonesty, while you also explore the research aspect of pharmacy practice”.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), who was also the chairman of the occasion pointed out that Pharmacy profession is indispensable to healthcare delivery.
He stated that there is nothing done in the healthcare delivery that will not involve pharmacy. The VC who was ably represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Chancellor, Prof. Sulaimon Folorunsho Ambali, therefore urged the inductees to uphold the ethics of the Pharmacy profession.
The Acting Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science of the University of Ilorin, Dr Sa’ad Toyin Abdulahim in his opening remarks pointed out that pharmacists and Pharmacy profession exist to serve the society and humanity. He noted that the profession is specifically aimed at serving the community and to provide it with distinctive services.
He informed the inductees that the oat they took is a promise of a pharmacist. He therefore urged them never to act contrary to the oath. The acting dean also charged the inductees to always remember why they chose pharmacy and the sacrifice they have made to become a pharmacists. He admonished them to serve their community and improve the quality of life and health of the members of the community with compassion, honesty and integrity.
Meanwhile, the keynote speaker at the event, Professor Olubunmi Afolabi, advised the newly inducted pharmacists and other young pharmacists across the country to build integrity, insisting that every pharmacist that wants to succeed must build and uphold his or her integrity. She also noted that trust is a currency that every pharmacist can spend.
In her keynote speech titled “Professional values in pharmacy practice”, Professor Afolabi who is the immediate past dean of the faculty of pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife explained that Pharmacists play vital roles in ensuring optimal health outcomes, as they hold moral and professional obligations to maintain the trust reposed in them by the society.
She stated that Pharmacy is not merely about dispensing but a comprehensive science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing, and monitoring medications. According to her, Pharmacy ensures safe, effective, and affordable distribution and use of medicines and at the same time intersecting health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences, behavioural and natural sciences.
A profession, according to Prof. Afolabi is a disciplined group of individuals with special knowledge and skills, adhering to ethical standards for the greater good, noting that professional values, are the guiding beliefs that influence behavior of members in the pursuit of professional responsibilities. She noted that professional values are shared beliefs defining a framework for attitudes and work standards, pointing that professional values support better work ethics and are essential for a competitive edge.
She said “In addition to integrity, the values form the bedrock of professional identity. Integrity helps to build a brand which is the unique value in every facet of pharmacy practice”. Prof. Afolabi identified what she termed general professional values to include appropriate dressing, politeness, punctuality, respect for others, confidentiality, responsibility and honesty.
But for pharmacy profession, the professional values, she said include professional Integrity, code of ethics for pharmacists, covenant of trust, expertise and personal development. All these she urge the inductees and other pharmacists in the country to uphold.
The chairperson of the planning committee of the induction/oat taking ceremony, who is also the sub-dean of the faculty, Dr Bilqis Abiola Lawa , while expressing appreciation to the VC and other dignitaries that graced the occasion, also urged the new inductees to uphold the ethics of the pharmacy profession.
The Overall Best Graduating Student, Rhoda Oluwadamilola Olatuyi, in her remark commended the lecturers and all staff of the university who contributed to their success, even as she urged her colleagues to go all out to rule their world.
The height of the event was the presentation of various awards and prizes to the Overall Best Graduating Student among which are the PCN award for the Overall Best Graduating Student, Prof. A. Agunu Memorial Award for the Overall Best Graduating Student, the PSN Kwara Award for the Overall Best Graduating Student, the Fellow Christopher Okpaleke Memorial Award for the Overall Best Graduating Student, the Bioraj Pharmaceutical Award for the Overall Best Graduating Student, the Keyhelt Pharma Award for the Overall Best Graduating Student among others.
Other awards/prizes won by other students include the Megalife Science Award for Best Graduating Male Students won by Shedrack Peter, Megalife Science Award for Best Graduating Female Student, won by Olatuyi, PSN Kwara Chairman’s Award for the Best All Rounder Graduating Student won by Yusuf Olalekan Babatunde and many others.
 recently inducted 89 graduands of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) after){kind=link}