Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in Ebonyi State, weekend, observed the 2022 pharmacy week, an event which gave pharmacists the opportunity to showcase thier relevance in the society.
The experts, who used the fora to called for Government funding equally emphasized on the need for collaborations among health workers for improved health care system in the Country.
The keynote speaker, who is also a professor of Pharmaceutical technology and industrial pharmacy, Sabinus Ifeanyi Ofuefule, said that low funding in the health sector had led to brain drain in the Country and caused professionals to relocate abroad for greener pastures.
He called on the Government to improve the funding, noting it would boost the health sector and improve the healthcare system.
“Government should improve funding of the health sector, that would go along way to stem the tide of the brain drain that’s going on in the country,
“Many of our pharmacists are leaving the country due to harsh working condition and except Government takes urgent steps, the tide of brain drain would continue.
The Professor, called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the return of academic activities in universities by ending the current ASUU strike amicably, said it would strengthen the security architecture in the Country.
“First is for them to end the current ASUU strike amicably, we are intellect and law abiding citizens, we are willing to go back to the class room,
“They should work on the security of the Nation, because people have to travel from one place to another, to get medical treatment which is one of the reasons our professionals are leaving the country, if these issues are addressed, the issue of brain drain would completely go tackled”.
2022 PHARMACY WEEK : Professionals Advocate towards ending quackery, called for unity and collaborations Among Health Practitioners:
Pharmacist Tony Ekoh, a former council chairman of Afikpo North Local Government area of Ebonyi State and currently a Candidate of labour party vying for Afikpo North and South Federal Constituency, described the pharmacists week as a way of creating awareness on recognizing Professionals in the field and ending quackery.
“This is an opportunity to educate the society to let the world know how useful the pharmacist is to the society, today we have proliferation of supposed pharmacy outlets run by illiterates, we are trying to use the opportunity to let the world know that when next you go to pharmacy to get drugs, ask for the pharmacist to help guide you,”. He said.
Pharmacists Ndukwe Okoro:
“We use this medium to announce our relevance to the society as far as health care is concerned, the roles we play in ensuring quality health for all.
“We are calling for unity in the sector for healthier world, we need to collaborate with all the health care workers to ensure that we achieve a healthier world for all Nigerians.
“We are saying that drugs should be handled by the experts, who are the pharmacists,
“There’s no disunity, we should collaborate with doctors, nurses and other professionals to put our physical and mental resources to that there’s healthy world” Okoro said.