TO differentiate registered and genuine drug outlets in the country, Community Pharmacies have been mandated to get the new Rx emblem, without which they would be liable to sanction.

 

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) gave this order recently, as it mobilised efforts to expose illegal pharmaceutical practices and outlets nationwide. Besides, the body has commended the Federal Government for inaugurating the Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-professional Relationship in the public health sector. The committee is to address challenges of unhealthy relationship among health workers.

 

     The Rx sign, according to the body, is a symbol with which the general public is guaranteed where quality medicine products and excellent professional pharmaceutical care and services are provided.

 

 National President of the association, Adebayo Olufemi, told reporters in Lagos that the September 30, 2013 deadline had been given, to ensure compliance to the initiative, aimed at restoring sanity in the pharmaceutical profession. He observed that decision to have all registered members nationwide hoist the neon sign at their pharmacies started some five months ago, adding that it is now the turn of ACPN monitoring groups to ensure compliance in all the states.

 

Olufemi said: “We have the database of all our members and non-compliance would attract sanction besides economic effect on their business,” he said. Olufemi also urged the public to watch out for the sign with great attention now before patronising any medicine premise. The sign, according to him, guarantees genuine and quality medicine, professional/pharmaceutical care services, health education and drug information, counseling and proper use of medicines. 

 

 Continuing, he said: “It is of paramount importance to inform that in line with the value of this emblem, the ACPN has restructured the sign with aluminum rust-free panel and it is more aesthetically packaged. The emblem carries serial number of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and any emblem different from this is regarded as fake. If mounted in any premise, it shall be pulled down with a fine of N10, 000 only.”

National Secretary ACPN, Olatunji Koolchap added that the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to set up the harmonisation committee was heart warning, hoping it would bring lasting solution to perennial disharmony in the sector. He said it was indeed disturbing to witness disunity and unnecessary rancor in the health sector. 

 

According to him, “The bad relationship among pharmacists, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists and so on, is seriously compromising efficiency in the nation’s public healthcare delivery. In as much as Nigerians are the direct victims, this is unacceptable. It is a welcome development that the President has inaugurated the committee,” he said. The association also commended the Federal Ministry of Health’s National Drug Policy, as it enjoined its members to start pooling resources together to form Drug Distribution Companies in line with the government’s white paper to sanitise the system and contribute to Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) in Nigeria.

 

The guidelines, they noted, serves as a reference to all those involved in drug distribution, adding that it would ensure the availability of good quality, safe, efficacious and affordable medicines in the nation. The policy plans to reshape the chaotic drug distribution and sanitise the system by having all stakeholders aligning with the network of Mega Drug Distribution Company (MDDC), State Drug Distribution Company (SDDC) and Wholesale Company, Retail Company.  Koolchap added: “The policy identifies sources of medicines for every level of healthcare delivery as well as mode of distribution consequently presenting a form of orderliness to the system.    

 “Medicines distribution will be channeled only to SDDCs and MDDCs and open market would no more be in operation. It is emphasized by the Federal Government of Nigeria in this document that non-compliance shall attract professional disciplinary measures as provided by Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and National Agency of Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) laws,” he warned.