The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged all health professionals in Nigeria to jettison competition, confrontation and distrust, and embrace collaboration, consultation and cooperation, in the interest of the health consuming public.
Speaking with Pharmanews during the board meeting of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), held at Pharmacy House, Lagos recently, the President of PSN, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, stated that all health care providers should allow the team concept to rule in health care delivery.
According to Pharm. Akintayo, professions exist to serve the society, adding that there are manifold reasons and benefits for wishing to create a genuine cooperation between pharmacists and other health care providers.
The PSN boss stated that pharmacists’ contribution to health care is developing in new ways to support patients in their use of medicines and as part of the clinical decision making across the range of ailments. He added that the pharmacist’s duty is to address the needs of the society.
Pharm. Akintayo stated further that it is important to ensure that the added value pharmacists bring to health care is taken into account and respected by policy makers and other health professionals, adding that pharmacists will continue to provide leadership to ensure unity among all the stakeholders in health care delivery.
The PSN president pledged that pharmacists in the country will continue to champion the ideals of a robust and impactful healthcare delivery in Nigeria, especially through placing premium on Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP), as it is in other parts of the decent global community.
On the position of the PSN on regulatory autonomy for the major professions in Nigeria, the PSN helmsman urged the APBN to champion either a private member’s or even an Executive Bill that compels the federal government to handover the running of all professions to professional bodies in Nigeria. “The success story of some professional bodies that have regulated their professions suggest eloquent testimonies that will accrue, if this move sees the light of day,” he said.
Pharm. Akintayo equally urged APBN to do even more to sustain or maintain the prestige of the various affected professions, saying “the APBN must build the myth to attain this goal for consumers of our various services, to continue to perceive us as relevant in the years ahead.”
While also speaking with Pharmanews at the event, the chairman of APBN, Ba’ala Kaoje, said that the association is aware that there are sometimes frictions between professional bodies, especially ones that have overlapping responsibilities. He said that APBN usually steps in to resolve such conflicts. “We have always helped in resolving such conflicts and ensure harmonious relationship, and we shall continue to do so,” he said.
