…as Adelusi-Adeluyi, others highlight college significance to health sector
The West Africa Postgraduate College of Pharmacy (WAPCP), at the weekend, performed the groundbreaking for the construction of its ultra-modern secretariat building.
The WAPCP President, Alhaji Murtada M. Sesay, who performed the groundreaking, alongside top stakeholders in the pharma sector said, the building, when completed will accommodate facilities such as e-library, regional drug information centre, offices, conference halls and meeting rooms.
WAPCP is one of the constituents’ colleges of the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), an agency of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), with its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.
The college president said the building, a five storey edifice, is estimated to cost N3.8 billion, with a time frame of 24 months to build when the fund is available.
Alhaji Sesay therefore pleaded with relevant stakeholders in the pharma industry and those who desire the advancement of the health sector in all member nations to support the college financially to actualise the project at the projected time frame.
“I appeal to you that we will soon be coming to you for financial support to actualise the completion of the edifice in record time. Let me reassure you that the college under my leadership will be willing to consider dedicating any part of the building to our major donors”, Alhaji Sesay said.
While highlighting the significance of the secretariat building to the attainment of the college objectives and the advancement of the health sector of member nations, the WAPCP president said achieving the building within the stipulated time frame will help the college to attain its set objective and contribute to the delivery of healthcare services in the West Africa Region.
The President said “the major objectives of our college are to promote harmonisation of Pharmacy education and practice in the region, promoting research in Pharmacy and to advance Pharmacy practice in specialised disciplines. We are in the forefront of promoting harmonisation of pharmaceutical legislation and development of National Drug Policies in the region.
“We promote integration of the Traditional Health System of countries in the region and as well co-operate with other healthcare professionals, scientists and organisations in activities that will ensure maintenance of high standards of Pharmacy practice and healthcare delivery. WAPCP is not just a college, we practice what we teach. We scan the environment to know where there are issues and suggest/proffer solutions”.
While speaking at the ceremony, the former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, who was the guest of honour, expressed his delight on the ground breaking for the construction of the college secretariat building, especially when the ideal of the college was birthed on his table many years ago, coupled with the fact that he was the pioneer secretary of the federation that metamorphosed into the college.
He however urged the current leadership of the college to work towards positive optics that will make people want to be part of the project. He also called for a good structure that will make the college appealing by running programmes that will make the college relevant.
In his remark at the event, the Publisher of Pharmanews, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, who was a pioneer secretary of the Nigerian Chapter of the college and served for 14 years said, the secretariat building is a legacy for future generations, even as he urged stakeholders in all member nations to support the project.
The former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Sir Anthony Akhimien, who is the chairman of the college property committee said, the groundbreaking for the college secretariat building is a testament to the fact that the government alone cannot build the health sector, adding that the college is working hard to join hands with the government to advance the health sector.
He said, “the secretariat will be a meeting and rally point for appraising policy on healthcare delivery to the West Africa region. The secretariat will be a rally point that becomes a focus for all member countries to key into what we do and also ensure that there are standards across board in all the countries”.
Sir Akhimien noted that the construction of the secretariat building means a lot for the college and will benefit member nations, adding that it will enable all the faculties of the college to be more focused, and function optimally.
According to him, the faculty of drug production and quality assurance, for instance, is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out research and provide the manpower and skill required for research and development. The faculty is also expected to study and develop new molecules that they can be passed to the industry for large scale production, adding that the secretariat building will enable the faculty to function optimally which will be a good thing for all member nations.
With the current trend where nearly 70 per cent of the drugs in the region is imported, Akhimien said the college secretariat will be a rally point where the relevant faculties will come up with research and development and pass the outcome of the research to the industry to produce require drugs for the region. He described the move as a step towards drug self-sufficiency, which is the target of all the governments of all member nations.
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