Posted on: Wed 03-11-2021

Dear Colleagues

REGISTRAR’S NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE FROM THE REGISTRY

I wish to welcome you all on behalf of the management and staff of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria to the month of November, the penultimate month of the year. The month set aside by the founding fathers of our great Society, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), to conduct the Annual National Conference. Incidentally, the 2021 Conference is holding in Rivers State and tagged ‘Garden City’ 2021. We wish the leadership of PSN and all the Conference delegates a very successful program.

The month of October was throughout very eventful for the PCN and for Nigeria as a nation. I thank all our stakeholders that have supported the PCN all through the month.

In the month of October 2021, one hundred and forty-three (143) fresh Pharmacy Graduates from Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Edo State were inducted into the profession. Please, join me in congratulating these graduands.

Similarly, the October 2021 Pre-Registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP) took place on October 23, 2021 at nine (9) centres across the country.

Also, the National Enforcement Team of the PCN, undertook enforcement exercise between 17th to 22nd October, 2021 in Kaduna State. During the exercise, 62 Pharmacies and 588 Patent Medicine Shops were sealed for non-compliance with PCN regulatory provisions. A total of 6 compliance directives were also issued for minor lapses. However, two people were arrested for major non-compliance, and are currently undergoing investigation for possible prosecution.

In October 2021, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with United States Pharmacopoeia, organized an ISO 9001:2015 awareness training for registry’s staff of PCN at the Head office, Idu, Abuja. The training took place between Monday, 11th to Friday, 15th October, 2021. In the same vein, the Lead Implementers and Lead Auditors training for ISO 9001:2015 were also conducted immediately afterwards.

In the month of October 2021, the PCN Governing Council had its 43rd regular meeting in Lagos at its new PCN Lagos Zonal building, Yaba. At the meeting, several far-reaching resolutions were made to further achieve better implementation of PCN regulatory mandate.

The Disciplinary Tribunal of the PCN sat in the month of October immediately after it’s inauguration by the Chairman of the PCN Governing Council, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora, mni. The Tribunal handled the trial of three erring Pharmacists, whose cases were referred to the Tribunal by the Investigating Panel of PCN.  The Pharmacists were found to be in breach of the code of conduct and ethics of the Pharmacy profession. Meanwhile, the Governing Council has further approved the various disciplinary actions recommended against the Pharmacists by the Tribunal. On this note, I wish to strongly advise all Pharmacists to conduct their professional activities with high sense of responsibility and avoid any act of professional indiscipline at all times.

Let me also inform colleagues that the Federal Government has approved four (4) new regulations for the PCN and these are: Registration and Licensing of Pharmaceutical Premises Regulations, 2021; Pharmaceutical Premises Location, Inspection, Structure, Monitoring and Enforcement Regulations 2021; Pharmaceutical Products Marketing Regulations 2021 and Online Pharmacy Regulations 2021. In this regard, the PCN will be organizing a stakeholders meeting on the Online Pharmacy Regulations 2021 at Lagos Zonal Office of PCN during the second week of December.

I am delighted to inform Nigerian Pharmacists, all PCN stakeholders and the general public that PCN has completed the new purpose-built Lagos Zonal Office building at Yaba. The edifice was commissioned by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, MD, FWACS on Friday, October 29, 2021. The Commissioning ceremony was well attended by many dignitaries and was a huge success. The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was represented by the Director Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health, the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator (Dr.) Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Health, Hon (Dr.) Yusuf Tanko Sununu both attended the event. Hon (Pharm.) Gboluga Ikengbonju, Member, House of Representatives also attended the programme. The Father of the Day was our Doyen of Pharmacy, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, mni, the Royal Father was His Royal Majesty (Pharm) Uzo Alex Onyido (Igwe Ezechuamagha of Ogidi Kingdom), the President of PSN, Pharm. Mazi Sam Ohunbuwa, FPSN, OFR was represented by the National Secretary, Pharm. Prince Gbenga Falabi, FPSN, also, the Chairman Committee of Registrars of Health Professions Regulatory Bodies, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, Registrar/Secretary-General, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and several Directors General and Chief Executive Officers, Captains of Industry that include Dr. Stella Okoli, Founder/CEO, Emzor Pharmaceuticals. The occasion had several personalities and was stream live. On behalf of the Governing Council, Management and Staff of the PCN, I wish to appreciate the Federal Government for all the support received for the completion of the project and as well thank all those that graced the occasion.

Finally, I appreciate the contributions and the support of all our stakeholders as we look forward to continuous support towards effective implementation of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria mandate to the benefit of the teeming citizens of this country.

God bless you all.

 Pharm. N. A. E. Mohammed, Ph.D, FPSN, FNIM, FPCPharm, FNAPharm

Registrar

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