Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 21st National Annual Scientific Conference of the AHAPN, themed “Innovative Disruptions In Pharmacy Practice: A Road Map for Hospital & Administrative Pharmacy Practice in Nigeria” and held at the International Conference Centre, Sokoto, Sokoto State, recently, Amibor reiterated that hospital pharmacists must innovate now to demonstrate their competence and relevance or get disrupted by current trends.

Speaking further at the remarkable ceremony, chaired by Pharm. (Alh.) Al-Mustapha Othman Ali, permanent secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Health, the AHAPN boss said that there is an urgent need to reposition hospital practice in Nigeria.

He noted that this informed the theme of the conference, which had been chosen as a result of current disruptions in the healthcare sector in the country.

The AHAPN helmsman stated further that the association is committed to working towards adopting pharmaceutical care as a new philosophy of practice in Nigeria, disclosing that this informed its decision to set up the Pharmaceutical Care Implementation Committee, an international committee comprising members of AHAPN, and a representative each of ACPN, PCN, and NAPPSA.

He revealed that the pharmaceutical care project is on course, noting that AHAPN is on the verge of analyzing the result of a national survey carried out among community and hospital and administrative pharmacists in Nigeria on the desirability and modalities for practicing pharmaceutical care in Nigeria.

Speaking in the same vein at the opening ceremony, Prof. Noel Wannang, secretary-general, West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), who was the keynote speaker, stated that hospital pharmacy practice had shifted from that of drug provider to patient-centered practice, stressing that hospital pharmacists should leave dispensing completely to pharmacy technicians and begin to create a niche for themselves in the wards by having direct contacts with the patients.

The distinguished keynote speaker argued that the health system, like every other system, is dynamic; adding that Nigeria doesn’t need magicians nor a perfect environment because the nation will never get such.

What the nation needs, he said, are professionals that will do the right things to help the citizens and professionals that have the courage to act because they do not want to become irrelevant.

Hospital pharmacists, he stressed, must embrace innovative disruption to tackle the old and emerging challenges of their practice or get permanently disrupted.

He also urged hospital pharmacists to embrace specialization as, according to him, this will make them be more involved in evaluating patients’ therapeutic options and provide better care at a better cost.

In his presentation at the event, Prof. Wilson Erhun, dean, Faculty  of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, who spoke on the topic “Taking Hospital Pharmacy to the Next Level: An Expected Role of AHAPN”, tasked hospital pharmacists to identify areas they want their pharmacies to be excellent in and pursue such

He listed the ten steps for them to follow to achieve a result to include personal capacity building, clinical pharmacy practice, drug storage, drug procurement, rational use of drugs, hospital formulary and drug list, drug information service, drug and therapeutic committee, drug revolving fund, and research and documentation.

While also speaking at the opening ceremony, Pharm. (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa, president, PSN, stated that the pharmacy profession is under siege by many forces seeking to disrupt both the profession and its various forms of practice, adding that such forces are from within the healthcare team, medicine trader community, and the underground and grey markets.

He stated that Pharmacy needs a customer-centric or and patient-focused pharmaceutical care concept, noting that the pharmacy must continue to innovate and disrupt the status quo.

Other dignitaries at the opening ceremony were Dr Muhammad Ali Inname, commissioner for health, Sokoto State who represented Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto State; Pharm. (Mrs) Uche Ezeh, chairperson, AHAPN, Sokoto State; Pharm. Munir Elelu, deputy president, PSN; Prof. Wilson Erhun, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University; Pharm. Dan Orumwense, a Fellow of the PSN; and Pharm. Mustapha Bello, Chairman, Conference Planning Committee (CPC).

Source: Pharmanews