Members of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy, have honoured the late Director- General, National Agency For Foods Drugs Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili, for her exemplary contribution to the profession.

She was honoured alongside 46 other distinguished pharmacists at the inauguration of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy in Lagos on Thursday.

The Academy’s President, Julius Adewusi-Adeluyi, described the late NAFDAC boss and ex-Minister of Information, as a woman of courage and character till the end.

Adewusi-Adeluyi, stated that Akunyili was recognised both locally and internationally and charged pharmacists in various sectors of the country to emulate the good works of the late professor.

He noted that the academy was established to mentor young pharmacists to become outstanding scientists and also to provide expert opinion and thoughtful leadership in the education and practice of pharmacy.

Adewusi-Adeluyi said, “The academy will provide a platform to influence national and state policies which will enable the fulfillment of the vision, the mission, the rights and obligations of pharmacy. The Academy will network with similar academies within and outside Nigeria.

“It will also partner with relevant regulatory bodies and associations to ensure high ethical standards in the practice of the profession and in the war against fake, adulterated and substandard products in the health sector.

“The academy will champion the cause of inter-disciplinarity, by working steadfastly to promote harmony and team spirit among all members of the health team and other relevant professions, so that every patient enjoys wholesome and beneficial health care.”

An Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oladapo Akinkugbe, in his keynote address called for an improved relationship between doctors, pharmacists and herbal medicine practitioners especially in the management of patients.

He urged pharmacists to tap into opportunities which abound in the local production of drugs using indeginous medicines.

Akinkugbe said, “We have gone beyond the stage of inspired guesswork. Pharmacy must expand its coast beyond the ivory tower and ‘the buy and sell’ mentality to be more involved in original work.

“ I look forward to the day when in my ward round, clinicians, young and old, the pharmaceutical gurus, the herbalist and traditional medicine man would congregate around the bedside, each espousing his or her art, replacing inspired guesswork and incantations with evidence-based approach to rational therapy, and from which we will all depart with the sense of fulfillment that comes from making worthy contributions to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and improving the health status of our people.”