COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 36TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE “JOS CITY 2017HELD BETWEEN 2ND – 7TH JULY, 2017 AT ELIEL EVENT CENTRE, GOLD AND BASE, JOS PLATEAU STATE”

 

The theme of the conference was “Community Pharmacists’ Role in Nation Building: Past, Present and Future.”

The conference was declared open by His Excellency Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong, the Executive Governor of Plateau State. In attendance was the Deputy Governor of Plateau State Prof. Sonni Gwanle Tyoden.  The Chairman of the occasion was Her Excellency (Mrs.) Dame Pauline Tallen,OFR ,former Deputy Governor of Plateau State.  Other dignitaries that attended the conference include Commissioner for Health Plateau State, Registrar, Pharm. N.A.E. Mohammed,FPSN, representative of the Catholic Archbishop of Jos Ven. Rev. Father Daniel Padoc, representative of Gwongwon Jos, His Royal Highness Rev. Dr. Isaac Wakilli, Commandant Air Force Military College Jos Group Captain S.A. Adelambu; Vice Chancellor University of Jos, President Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. (Alh) Ahmed Yakassai, FPSN, former Presidents of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Akhimien, FPSN; Pharm. Olumide Akintayo,FPSN and Past Chairmen of the ACPN including Pharm. (Sir) Deji Osinoiki, FPSN; Pharm. Ejiro Foyibo and Pharm. Olufemi Adebayo,FPSN; other healthcare professionals and eminent Nigerians. 

 

The keynote address was delivered by Pharm. (Sir) Ike Onyechi, FPSN, the Managing Director of Alpha Pharmacy Ltd, Lagos.  The following eminent resource persons presented papers and participated in panel discussion during plenary sessions as sub-theme speakers, Pharm. (Mrs) Anderline N. Dukor, Pharm. N.A.E Mohammed, FPSN, Pharm. Kayode Aiyegbeje, Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Akhimien, FPSN, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, FPSN and representative of Executive Secretary of NHIS Mrs. Aileen Blama, Deputy General Manager and Plateau State Coordinator National Health Insurance Scheme.

 

Conference deliberated on the theme and sub-themes of the conference and other contemporary issues in Community Pharmacy Practice and the general state of the nation and made the following observations and recommendations. 

1)    Conference acknowledged the role of Community Pharmacists in nation building through acquisition of relevant skills and knowledge to enable them deliver pharmaceutical care services to their community.

2)     Conference agreed that the professional role of Community Pharmacists in nation building is evolving and changing from traditional dispensing to best practice in patient centered care. Care services involving Pharmaceutical Care, Medication Therapy Management, Pharmacoeconomics and Effective Patient Education to achieve good therapeutic outcomes.  Conference enjoined Community Pharmacists to distinguish themselves professionally by getting involved in extemporaneous preparations of pharmaceutical remedies while also echoing a dire need for specialisation in various disciplines including Oncology, Cardiology, Renal Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and others to show case true expertise in medicine use and management in their practice.

3)     Conference deliberated on chaotic Drug Distribution System in the country and agreed that the implementation of the National Drugs Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs) remains the viable panacea to chaotic drug distribution, proliferations of fake and counterfeit pharmaceuticals products in the country. Conference commended the PCN for kick-starting capacity building training workshops for would be stakeholders in the CWCs at the Lagos and Onitsha Centres, while urging the PCN to conclude before the end of the year with the training procedures at the Aba and Kano Centre. Conference demanded more proactive measure to compel building of the CWCs before the end of December 2018 to compel the final closure of all open drug markets in the country in line with existing statutes. Conference therefore called on the Federal Government to mandate relevant Agencies involved i.e. Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to step up the tempo of the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG).

4)     Conference deliberated on the use of I.T technology to drive the practice of Pharmacy in the 21st century. Pharmacists under the aegis of the ACPN reasoned thattechnology driven pharmacy practice would have the following advantages on the practitioners and the profession.

a)    Improved healthcare delivery system

b)    Improved Drug Distribution System in the country

c)    Enhanced tracking of fake and substandard pharmaceutical products in the Nigeria market

d)    Enhanced recall mechanism by pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers for defective drug batches.

e)    Efficient communication mechanism with patient.

5)     Conference appraised the deployment of Mobile Authentication System (MAS) in the regulation of drug product quality in Nigeria and put on record that MAS was at best a desirable tool in establishing the authentic source of all drug batches from the manufacturer/importer. Conference insisted that the only way to scientifically conclude that a drug is fake is after assay in the laboratory. Conference evaluated albeit critically the unending instances where MAS had given conflicting or contrary reports suggesting that wholesome and genuine products were fake in community pharmacies thus denigrating practitioners in such situations. Conference admonished all relevant stakeholders especially the I.T companies, ACPN, relevant pharmaceutical companies. NAFDAC to form a standing committee that would meet periodically to review/modify the implementation modes of MAS as the circumstance may demand such that ultimately there will be benefits to consumers of health and other stakeholders.

6)    Conference commended the management of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria for introducing Satellite Pharmacy concept which would assist in bringing pharmaceutical care services to the door step of Nigerians in rural communities.

7)    Conference deliberated on the regulatory activities of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria and commended the council for her modest achievement in regulation of pharmacy practice, but implored the council to redouble their effort in closing down all open drug markets, illegal pharmaceutical premises and patent medicine vendor shops all over the country. Conference called on the Federal Government to reconstitute the Board of the Pharmacists  Council for effective regulation of pharmacy practice to ensure good pharmaceutical service delivery and protecting the general public from unethical practice and quackery.Conference in similar spirit strongly advocated for the immediate appointment of a substantive DG/CEO and members of the governing council for NAFDAC in line with enabling statute to pave way for strengthening our health system which must continue to be structured to pave way for access to safe and efficacious medicines at all times.

8)    Conference lamented the extremely deplorable methodologies employed in running the failed NHIS which has a wretched converage of 1.72% of Nigerians in the formal sector after about 12 years operation despite huge billions of naira that has been invested in the scheme. Conference frowned at the continued jettisoning of lawful payment mechanisms which spells out capitation for primary providers, fee for service secondary and tertiary providers, case payment and per diem in special circumstances for an unlawful payment mechanism dubbed global capitation which is an administrative short cut by HMOs in collaboration with NHIS secretariat that lumps fee for service for secondary and tertiary with capitation payment that accrues to primary providers rather than HMOs that pays secondary and tertiary if they are given opportunities to provide services at all. Conference reminded government that in such scenarios the enrollees are vulnerable because they are shortchanged through compromised services. Conference criticised the indiscriminate capitation of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities at the detriment of primary healthcare facilities who are gatekeepers in the scheme. This practice distracts secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities from their areas of core competence which is specialised care, teaching and research. Conference also rejected the tendencies to reduce the NHIS to a public sector driven agenda rather than the global norm of a private sector inclined project.

Conference reviewed the totality of challenges militating against the NHIS and enjoined the National Assembly to amend the NHIS Act in line with suggestions at the recent Senate Public Hearing and Investigative probe at the House of Representatives to pave way for the emergence of a competent management of human and material resource at the NHIS.

9)    Conference observed drastic increase in the use of narcotics, psychotropic substances and other related drugs by our youths. Conference acknowledged the need by the Federal Government to step up advocacy against drug abuse in radio and electronic media in other to safe-guide the future of the country.

10)Conference reviewed the level of insecurity in the country with special emphasis on Boko Harm insurgency, the spate of bombing, kidnapping, abductions and wanton destruction of innocent lives and properties.  Conference therefore commended the effort of President Mohammed Buhari’s administration in curbing this menace and urged all Nigerians to contribute their quota in support of government efforts to bring about drastic reduction of the unfortunate menace.

11)Conference appreciates His Excellency the Executive Governor, the government and the good people of Plateau State for their care and hospitality.  Conference commended the support of the wife of the Governor of Plateau State for leading ACPN walk against Drug Abuse during the conference.

12)At the end of the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) the following National Officers were elected to serve the Association for the next one year. 

 

Pharm. (Dr) Albert Kelong Alkali, FPCPharm       -           National Chairman

Pharm. Adekola O. Samuel                           -           National Vice Chairman

Pharm. Abosede Idowu                                  -           National Secretary

Pharm. Wuyep N. Nankap                             -           National Assistant Secretary

Pharm.Gafar ‘Lanre Madehin                         -           National Treasurer

Pharm. (Rev) Daniel Femi Ajayi                    -           National Financial Secretary

Pharm. Agnellus Chima Ogbu                        -           National Publicity Secretary

Pharm. (Alh) Olufemi Ismail Adebayo, FPSN   -           Immediate Past National Chairman

  

Dr. Albert Kelong Alkali, JP,MCPA,MABS, Pharm.D, FPCPharm                            Pharm Afuye Adeoye, MAW

National Chairman                                                                                  Immediate Past National Secretary