… Promise massive Healthcare Delivery
By Divine Sam
It was another moment of a healthy interactive session with Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) following the just concluded 27th Annual National Conference, with the theme “The role of digital technologies and innovations in advancing universal health coverage: the Nigeria industrial pharmacy perspective.” in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
The conference, tagged ‘Oluyole 2024,’ hold from 4 to 8 June, 2024, at De Signature Tower Hotel, in Ibadan, Oyo State, NAIP urged the government to create an enabling environment for Pharmaceutical manufacturing and to attract more foreign patronage into the sector.
The opening ceremony was under the chairmanship of Dr. Theophilus Omotosho FPSN, the founder, Bond Chemical industries Limited, Professor of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Ibadan, Professor Oludele Itiola gave the keynote address
In his remarks to officially declare the conference open Pharm. Ken Onuegbu FPSN, the National Chairman of NAIP, stressed the importance of embracing technology in industrial pharmacy practice to enhance access to essential medicines during a press conference, on Wednesday.
Pharm. Onuegbu said, “We are looking at the situation where all of us will embrace technology in driving home access to essential medicine, driving values and all the key deliverables, as well as managing all the necessary supply chains and figures. This is why we are considering it necessary to dwell on technology and Universal Health Coverage, which is also in tandem with the focus of the 2024 theme of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).”
Concerning infrastructure, the National Chairman
urged the Federal Government to provide good road network, energy and intervention funds to boost local drug manufacturing.
Onuegbu said, when the government creates an enabling environment more investors would be attracted into the sector.
According to him, Oluyole 2024 is expected to attract foreign exhibitors from India, Germany and Egypt,.
The conference featured various categories of government dignitaries, and participants also engaged in social networking and relaxation.
Speaking with Newsieevents, Pharm(Dr.) Joy Adeshina, NAIP National Secretary, giving a run down said the conference witnessed a health walk for awareness and a medical outreach at Victory International Church premises, Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.
Pharm. Adeshina, also noted that there were two plenary sessions on Friday 7 June. The topic of the first session was “Controlled substances and the promotion of access to medicine: the meeting point” which was delivered by Pharm. (Mrs) Yedunni Adenuga, Director, Narcotics and Control Substances, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The session ended with panel discussion led by Prof. Oluwatoyin Odeku to tackle the topic.
She added that the second plenary session focused on “Pharmaceutical sales representatives of today: The good, the bad and the ugly”, which was in the form of an open hall discussion.
The National Secretary, Pharm (Dr) Joy Adeshina revealed that Health Insurance is instrumental to achieving Universal Health Coverage which entails all Nigerians having access to affordable, qualitative health services. She therefore urged Nigerians not to be timid engaging in Health Insurance scheme.
She further revealed that the Universal Health Coverage covers treatment, rehabilitation and care without breaking the individual’s bank account while urging Nigerians to patronize accredited health insurance providers in the country.
She said “the role of NAIP in the health sector include researching, manufacturing, distributing of drugs in the country while affirming that the association will continue to contribute its quota to the development of the health industry in Nigeria”
Dr Adeshina maintained that industrial Pharmacists play vital roles in ensuring the safety, efficacy and accessibility of pharmaceutical products in the country while urging Nigerians to avoid patronizing quacks in the country.
She stated that some Nigerians in a bid to access cheap drugs approach road side sellers, hawkers stating that consumption of such drugs always have negative effects of the bearer.
