As part of its effort to ensure that tenets of good pharmacy practice is strictly adhered to, the Pharmacy Society of Nigeria (PSN) has warned pharmacists in all cadres to be ready to comply with payment of their practicing fees in view of section (14(1) of the PCN Act or face conviction. In a statement made available to Newswatch Times, the National President of PSN, Pharm. Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai, stressed that section (14(1) of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act stipulates that conviction is penalty for payment defaulters.Similarly, the PSN President also warned chemist or selling dispenser who fails to comply with the provisions of the PSN Act to be ready to face the law, stressing the need for every them to comply with the statutory/legal imperatives of the relevant pharmacy laws which include the proviso in part II section 4(1) and (2). According to him, the proviso of the act states inter-alia: “4(1) A selling dispenser shall in the month of January in each year sent to the Registrar a list of all the premises (form B) where his business, so far as it comprises the sale of drugs is being carried on and the name of the selling dispenser or chemists having the personal control (form J) of the business on each premise.
“4(2) A selling dispenser or chemist who fails to comply with the provisions of this section is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction in respect of each offence.” Yakassai further reiterated its directive for all pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies to fulfill the protocols of regularizing their membership of PSN following which they would be issued clearance certificates by the respective state branches.
The PSN boss said its yearly payment of practising fee to the council is geared towards achieving the desired goal of the body, stressing that penalties are attached to defaulters. He however pleaded with stakeholders to give its maximum cooperation to ensure the success, adding that it will aid smooth operation of the arrangement in the ultimate professional and public interest. He said: “This is particularly key to achieving a faster pace of licensure of practitioners and pharmacy facilities to ensure that the tenets of Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) are entrenched for consumers of health in Nigeria.
“In 2016 the procedures will entail that all pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies fulfill the protocols of regularizing their membership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) following which they would be issued clearance certificates by the respective state branches.” Yakasai stressed that the clearance certificates will subsequently serve as a criteria for obtaining the statutory forms B and J at the state/zonal offices of the PCN by all players.
Source: MedicalWorldNigeria
