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Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria
The Imo State chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has appealed to the state government to look into the dangers of openly trading medicines in the common market, adding that it will lead to increased drug treatment resistance, disease burden escalation and organ damage.
This was the highpoint of a three-page communiqué raised at the end of the Imo State Pharmaceutical Society/Pharma Business Summit, held at Rock View Hotel, Owerri, and signed by the chairman of Imo PSN, and the chairman Imo Pharma Business Summit 2024, Dr. Nobert Ajiero and Dr. Solomon Nwafuru respectively.
The communiqué however, thanked the Hope Uzodimma-led government in the state for the almost completed Faculty of Pharmacy of the Imo State University and called on the government to extend such faculty to the K. O. Mbadiwe University.
The communiqué said, “As pharmacy remains the oxygen of the health sector viability, Imolites have distinguished themselves in the pharmacy profession globally, and need for pharmacy schools in the state abound.”
On community pharmacies, the communiqué maintained that the government should critically look into pharmacies as healthcare institutions as done in the developed world and support them in addressing the health needs of Imo citizens.
Nevertheless, the communiqué appealed for tax waivers or reductions to enable them to fully optimize and offer the gains of sustainable development goals and universal health coverage to Imo citizens.
Meanwhile, the summit pleaded with the state government to appoint over 80 pharmacists to primary, secondary and tertiary facilities of the state, adding that their impacts were beyond qualification.
More so, the summit submitted that security agencies should work closely with the pharmacists in the area of emergencies, and health needs and identify them for quickest passage in case of emergencies, duties, epidemics, pandemics, and vital health-related issues.
On fuel scarcity and the high cost of petrol, the communiqué identified them as national issues and appealed to Governor Uzodimma to help in taming the increasing cost and scarcity.
It pleaded with the governor to grant electricity tariff waivers to community pharmacies and health facilities, adding that the above would surely reduce the cost of treatment of citizens and improve the turnaround in health services.
