A statement issued on Wednesday by the Director (Information, Media and Public Relations) in the Ministry of Health, Olujimi Oyetomi, said the inauguration would provide guidance and direction for the efficient discharge of the functions of the council as stipulated in its enabling Act.

According to him, the development of a national pharmaceutical plan for Nigeria, in collaboration with all major stakeholders, had commenced.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who inaugurated the board reiterated that the PCN was vital to the health care system as reflected in its functions of regulating training of pharmacist, pharmacy technicians and the practice of the profession.

He said, “Key issues that should engage the attention of this council include standard of training, code and ethics of practice, proliferation of illegal premises, unsatisfactory distribution of medicines and drug abuse.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to fore the vulnerability of the nation as it concerns medicines’ security. The inability of the nation to meet its needs of simple things such as face masks, surgical gloves, plaster, cotton bandage, and other related items must be addressed.

“It is therefore paramount that the profession of pharmacy in Nigeria immediately starts to think of new ways of doing things, a situation where the focus is on importation of finished products and compounding of raw materials is clearly not acceptable. 

Recall that the PSN had rejected Mora based on some allegations including unauthorised alteration of portions of the PCN Act, involvement in changing the names of PSN’s statutory nominations to the PCN Council in 2009.

source: Punch