The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy has inducted six
distinguished professionals into its esteemed ranks as fellows at an
Investiture ceremony in Lagos.
Those inducted include Director-General, Nigerian Institute
for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel, former
deputy provost, University of Lagos, Prof. Herbert Coker; one-time national pharmaceutical
advisor, World Health Organisation, Dr. Ogori Taylor; first African woman to
bag the fellowship of American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
in the US and Professor of Pharmaceutics, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye; Pharmacy
Residency Director, Mercer University College at Atlanta Medical Center, Dr.
Teresa Pounds and communications management consultant and CEO XLR8, Calixthus
Okoruwa.
Speaking at the Investiture of the new fellows, President,
Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi noted that the
“individuals we are today inducting into our ranks are those with a strong
passion for scientific research. These are tested professionals who appreciate
the value of research in fast-tracking the social and economic progress of
societies.”
He described pharmacy as the bedrock of effective healthcare
delivery in the country and the most trusted healthcare provider as well as a
driving force behind the discovery of new drugs.
According to Adelusi-Adeluyi, “Pharmacy is the key that
unlocks all you need to know about medicine, Pharmacists are with you in
sickness and health, counseling the patients and we serve with integrity. The
Academy is exploring ways by which we can collectively convert the massive
footprint of visitors to hospital pharmacies into real value for the profession
and its practitioners.”
On his part, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria,
(PSN), Ahmed Yakasai, said the body was committed to making Nigeria the hub of
pharmaceutical production and research in Africa.
“Through a well-tailored plan which we have broken down to
short, medium and long-term plan, we are looking to promote pharmaceutical
manufacturing in Nigeria and examining the possibilities of producing about 70%
of what the industry needs especially the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
while importing the remaining 30%."
Yakassai also announced the establishment of the PSN
Foundation which would be launched in Abuja on the 17th of October 2017 while
noting that the 90th celebration of the PSN scheduled to hold in Umuahia would
be a grand, epoch making occasion for all pharmacists.
Professor Isa Marte Hussaini, a world-renowned cancer
researcher and professor of pharmacology at the University of Maiduguri in his keynote
presentation at the Investiture called for greater commitment on the part of
the government to the funding of research in the country.
“Inadequate funding is still a big challenge for Research
and Development in Nigeria, as well as lack of constant power supply and non-
availability of reagents which we have to buy from US and UK. We need more
research grants in our country; it is not about the personnel but the tools to
work with. All over the world, there are Nigerians who have distinguished
themselves in the field of medicine", Hussaini lamented.
Prof. Hussaini whose cancer research is exploring the use of
local herbs in cancer therapy reminded the audience that "cancer is the
second leading cause of death globally, the first being cardiovascular diseases
with 8.2 million deaths reported worldwide as at 2012. Sadly, a lot of the
research grants in Nigeria are focused on deaths arising from preventable
diseases like Malaria, TB when we should really be funding ground breaking
research on cancer. We have seen fruitful evidence of the use of local herbs in
the management of cancer in Nigeria.”
The Academy, which has been in the fore-front of educating,
mentoring and motivating young pharmacists, recently organized in partnership
with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and active engagement with other
health professionals, a workshop on inter-professional collaboration in
Nigeria’s healthcare sector. The workshop helped to complement other efforts
that seek better cooperation amongst Nigeria’s healthcare professionals, in the
interest of the health of people in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy is a specialized academy that
among others, seeks to promote scientific research and professional development
especially in the health, pharmaceutical and related sectors in order to help
overcome challenges posed by pain and disease as well as fast-track social and
economic development in Nigeria and beyond.
The event had the Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria,
Pharm NAElijah Mohammed, Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District,
Senator Prof. Olusola Adeyeye, General Secretary of the Academy, Prof. Fola
Tayo, NAPharm Vice President, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, chairman, Merit
Pharmaceuticals, Dr Lolu Ojo, Pharm. Nnamdi Obi, chairman, Association of
Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria (APIN) and Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former
managing director, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals,
Founder, Alpha Pharmacy, Sir Ike Onyechi, Prof. Kemi Odukoya, former
dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos (UNILAG); Prof. Mbang
Femi-Oyewo, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU)
and Distinguished Professor, University of Lagos, Prof. Cecelia Igwillo amongst
others in attendance.
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