The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has stressed the urgent need for the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to implement regulations governing facilities that sell veterinary medicines, saying it is one of the unsettling pressing sector’s challenges. Prof. Cyril Usifoh, PSN President made the call in his valedictory address at the society’s 97th annual conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Usifoh said that the call aligns with the PCN (Establishment) Act of 2022, previous legislation, the National Drug Policy, and relevant judicial rulings.
The PSN boss argued that regulating these facilities is crucial to ensuring compliance with Good Pharmacy Practice standards, particularly concerning the storage, handling, distribution, and dispensing of veterinary medicines.
These practices are fundamental responsibilities within the pharmacy profession, and the PSN believes that proper oversight will enhance the safety and efficacy of veterinary care.
According to Usifoh, regulation of premises involved in the sale of veterinary drugs and the welfare of public sector pharmacists are among the critical challenges of the pharmaceutical sector.
He further pointed out that there are various litigations involving the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) as regards the regulation of facilities engaged in the sale of veterinary medicines
Usifoh stated that the regulating facilities engaged in the sale of veterinary medicines by the PCN are consistent with the PCN (Establishment) Act 2022 and the laws before it, the National Drug Policy, as well as judicial pronouncements.
According to him, this is rightly so because it is an important step to ensure that such facilities meet specific requirements of good pharmacy practice in relation to storage, handling, distribution, and dispensing, all of which are primary responsibilities of the pharmacy profession.
While it addresses the welfare of public sector pharmacists, Usifoh disclosed that the PSN which continues to prioritise the interest of its members in the hospital and administrative sector remains a major stakeholder in ensuring fairness, equity, and justice to all concerned in the head team of our nation.
JOHESU And FG Reach Key Agreements
Usifoh commended the praised the unwavering commitment of JOHESU’s founding members, who have diligently upheld the
union’s principles for over a decade.
In a recent conciliation meeting held one week ago, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Federal Government team discussed significant terms of their memorandum of understanding (MOU).
He noted that a specific memo to the President, Bola Tinubu by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) to activate his promise to ensure the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) as was done for Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) was actualised through the payment as per the estimate provided by the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSWIC).
Additionally, under Usifoh’s leadership, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has achieved several milestones, including the full implementation of the appointment of Pharmacist Consultants across all 73 federal health institutions. Furthermore, a warrant for the payment of nine months’ salaries for workers, including those in pharmacies across 14 professional regulatory councils, has been issued, rectifying an earlier removal from the 2024 appropriation budget. These developments mark significant progress in the ongoing efforts to enhance the health sector in Nigeria.
He said, “Permit me to salute the doggedness of our colleagues, our founding fathers of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), who have helped sustain its ideas, albeit vigorously, for over ten years now. The conciliation meeting between JOHESU and the Federal Government team exactly one week ago reflected on some terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU).
“A specific memo to the President, Bola Tinubu by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) to activate his promise to ensure the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) as was done for Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) was actualized through payment as per the estimate provided by the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSWIC).
“Full implementation of the appointment of Pharmacist Consultants in all the 73 federal health institutions as well as a warrant of payment of nine months’ salaries of workers, including pharmacies in 14 professional regulatory councils (PCN included), which was initially removed from the 2024 appropriation budget have been issued amongst other issues.
Highlighting its milestones and landmarks, Usifoh, said the hospital and administrative pharmacy; as of 2021, the enabling circulars for consultant cadre were already issued by both the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
“Also, we continue to collaborate with the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria on the accreditation of community pharmacies and collaborate with industry stakeholders to draw attention to the need to step up our drive to boost local drug manufacturing. This yielded fruits vis-a-vis the now famous Executive Order of the president on the pharmaceutical sector.
“Meanwhile, our strategy revolves around establishing and developing a holistic Pharma workforce to stop the blackmail of those who imagine they do us a favour by teaching our students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. We are working on this through a postgraduate College of pharmacists so that new-generation academic pharmacists will be grounded in clinical background.
“Again, the PSN sponsored bills at the Nationals Assembly; we have shored up the asset base of the PSN and added a befitting national secretariat. We thank you for your march to new heights in the last 3 years, which will remain indelible in my diary and the pavements of the evolution of the PSN,” Usifoh.
He also said, “Some of the specific milestones and landmarks for posterity because there appears to be a dire need to put some records straight. In a larger bid to understand what we have tried to do, we shall highlight them on a sectoral basis grounded in our practice,” he added.
Hospital And Administrative Pharmacy
“As of 2021, the enabling circulars for consultant cadre were already issued by both the office of the HOCSF and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).
“Our advocacy and pressure have ensured that the last stage of the implementation mode has seen the light of day. As I echoed earlier, the vacancies for consultant cadres in all federal establishments have become a reality.
The payment element of IPPIS has also been created in the weeks ahead; we must witness a quantum leap in the number of consultants appointed, as agreed at a recent retreat of the committee of CMDs and the leadership of the FMoH. The Federal Ministry of Health has also agreed on the 2015 circular on residency training for our colleagues based on extant policy papers.
“The IPPIS element for the new entry point called duty and related allowances of holders of Doctor of Pharmacy will now be implemented as approved by NSIWC.”
On bills at NASS, Usifoh said, “The PSN, in the last couple of months, sponsored three bills at NASS. These are the DRF, National Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (NPCP), and Fake Drug Act Amendment Bills.
The DRF bill seeks to put drug procurement in the public pharmacy window legitimately in the hands of registered pharmacists in tandem with the law. Fortunately, we have now reached a stage where the bill has been approved for hearing and will be slated for the first hearing soon.
The WCPC bill seeks to generate a homemade reservoir of expert pharmacists for Nigeria’s health system, while the Fake Drug Act amendment bill focuses on lawfully promoting collaborations between NAFDAC and PCN. For the records, that collaboration ensures that the Sabo Gari drug market in Kano was dislodged, and operators relocated for the first CWC in Nigeria according to the NDDG which was championed by the PSN in 2015,” he added.