Pharmacy technologists charged on ethics of profession

MEMBERS of the National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians of Nigeria (NAPTTON) have been charged to adhere strictly to the ethics of their profession.

Speaking on the occasion of World Pharmaceutical Technologists Day in Ilorin on Wednesday, the president of the association, Balogun Odetola, said that members of the association contribute 75 per cent of the workforce in the Pharmaceutical sector in local, state and tertiary health institutions and in the private sector.

“As we mark the World Pharm. Techs’ Day, the task ahead of us is enormous, as such; we must strive to discharge our duties and responsibilities diligently to our patients at every given time”, he said.

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On the theme of the celebration, “PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGISTS AND PHARMACY TECHNICIANS: EDUCATED, TRAINED AND DEDICATED PHARMACY PROFESSIONALS”, Mr, Odetola said that schedules of the Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians involve counselling of patients on use of drugs and medicaments in various pharmacy departments at teaching hospitals, state and general hospitals, including art of stores management.

Mr Odetola, who said that while some pharmacy staff prefer working in the cities, added that Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians are well equipped to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently in the nooks and crannies of the nation, thus, allowing citizens to have access to pharmaceutical care at the grassroots level.

“The inadequate staffing of some public and private Health facilities in the country is alarming, therefore we urge the government at all levels and owners of private Health facilities to employ the services of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians in order not to compromise the health of the public as we are educated, trained and dedicated pharmacy professionals.

‘‘We note with dismay various antics of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria of recent, through the use of their vintage position as Directors of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministries of Health and Health Management Boards in some States, forceful registration and licensing of our members, organising and conducting series of illegal examinations thereby collecting huge sums of money from unsuspecting members with the promise of employing them.

It should be noted that the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria is not the employer of Labour; the extant law that establishes the Council Act Cap P.17 of 2004 is to -regulate the practice of their members- PHARMACISTS ONLY.

The landmark case of Federal High Court of Lagos judgement of 27th April 2007 where the Court affirmed that the PCN has no power whatsoever under the Nigerian Law to interfere with the activities of our members either by registering, licensing/issuance of permit to practice as there is an existing scheme of service that guides the career progression of the cadre and went further to declare all PCN’s activities on our members as ultra vires.

It is important to note that since the High Court judgement in 2007, no superior court in the country has given a contrary judgement on the issue. We are soliciting for the cooperation of our employers at various levels to demand the extant law in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that gave the PCN the powers they are arrogating to themselves.