Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has told the Federal government to support pharmacists to ensure good therapeutic handling of drugs in the country to ensure attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of access to safe, cost-effective and quality drugs as well as health products come year 2030.
Chairman, PSN, Oyo State branch, Mr Adegboyega Oguntoye, speaking at the 2020 World Pharmacists Day celebration in Ibadan, with the theme ‘Transforming Global Health’, said this was evident during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic that most public health facilities were closed and Nigerians had to resort to community pharmacies to meet their health needs.
Mr Oguntoye stated that community pharmaceutical premises operated patientcentred pharmacy, through point of care services, and so was able to support stopping the spread of the coronavirus diseases during the pandemic.
He declared that ensuring that pharmacists can transform health service programmes in Nigeria would remain a challenge if government at all levels, institutions and organisations in policy formulation, community and opinion leaders do not support pharmacists’ call for good therapeutic handling of drugs in all relevant sectors only by professionals.
The PSN, Oyo branch chairman, reiterated the need for government to ensure increased local production of medicines.
According to him, “it is going to generate employment and even guarantee the quality of these medicines, especially now that the hike in price of petrol is increasing cost of medicines.”
Mr Oguntoye, however, declared that Nigeria would not be able to win its fight against fake drugs if cost of medicines remains high and unaffordable to many people
Past chairman of the PSN in Oyo State, Mr Abiodun Ajibade, urged pharmacists to continue to help boost healthcare at the grassroots, where majority of health care burdens occur.
Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Mr Lukman Akinwande, asked for increased support from PSN to ensure that the state is not burdened with fake drugs as well as to have a reflection on where the profession should be in the nearest future.
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