Ohuabunwa, Adeyeye expected as 19th NAPA National Conference Begins August 16

pharmacy

-Discussions to centre on challenges and opportunities in advancing pharma sector

The 19^th Annual National Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA) has been scheduled to hold from Monday, 16 August through to 20 Friday, 2021, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

The theme of the five-day event tagged ‘Nsukka 2021’ is “Challenges and opportunities in advancing the pharma sector in Nigeria: Lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic”.

President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa; the Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Elijah Mohammed, as well as the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Moji Adeyeye, are all expected to be special guests of honour at the event.

To make the event worthwhile, the association has lined up experts that will dissect the challenges and opportunities in advancing the Nigerian pharmaceutical sector.

The opening ceremony will be chaired by the Senator representing Kwara North, (Pharm.) Sadiq Umar, while  the Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu- Abia State, Professor Gregory Ibeh, will be the keynote speaker.

The sub-theme for discussion at the plenary session of the conference include “Academic pharmacy practice in a depressed economy: challenge and prospects”, and it will be addressed by the Chairman, Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Professor Mbang Femi-Oyewo.

Other sub-themes at the conference are: “Local vaccine production: pros and cons” by the National Chairman, Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP); Pharm. Ignatius Anukwu, as well as the “Global competitiveness in teaching and research: The Nigeria challenge” to be addressed by Professor Ray Ozolua, of department of Pharmacology, University of Benin, Edo State.

According to the National Chairman of NAIP, Professor Emmanuel Ibezim, the conference is open to all pharmacists, researchers, scientists, pharma industrialists among others. Ibezim said “it is a loaded conference that will pose great challenges to all pharmaceutical players in the industry, academia, community practice, hospital setting and administration.

“Well-researched keynote address, plenary speeches and scientific findings will be presented by very eminent scholars and industrialists. Awards and other social programmes will also feature to make it an all-round holistic event. No pharmacist or pharma industrialist should miss it. We are fully prepared for you at UNN”, The NAPA chairman said.

Ibezim added that virtual participation is also possible for those that may not be able to travel to UNN.