PHARMCISTS in Nigeria have canvassed a more fovourable environment to enable them manufacture rather than assembling drugs in the country.

Speaking under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Society of  Nigeria PSN), the pharmacist said due to some obnoxious laws in operations in Nigeria, it is presently cheaper to import drugs into the country than producing same within it.

According to the local Chairman of the PSN, Mojeed Oderinde, while briefing reporters on the activities of the organisation ahead of its 86th annual national conference scheduled for Ilorin, today, Monday, November 4 and Friday November 8 this year, Nigerian image could receive further positive colours if the nation is noted for drugs manufacturing.

The theme of this year conference is Evolving Best Practices in Patient Care.' Over 4,000 pharmacists within and outside Nigeria expected at the event. The keynote address speaker is Prof. Fola Tayo, Pro Chancellor, Caleb University and former president, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists.

Besides, workshops and plenary sessions will be held in order to review present level of drugs storage and dispensing systems in the nation's health sentor.

He said, "we are trained not just to dispense drugs to patients but to equally enlighten the patients on drugs compositions and give other professional advice, especiall when there is a treatment failSure.

"Most importantly, I think our government shuold provide for us to more enabling environment to make it posible for us to practice our profession to its peak. In Nigeria if today, the existing laws on drugs manufacturing are not favourable so many pharmacists will prefer to import drugs rather than manufacturing them here. Again, the qulity of our petrochemicals should be the type used in drugs manufacturing in Nigeia."

Speaking on the present outbreak of Cholera in some states of the federation, Oderinde said it could not be divorced said it could not be divorced from govermental nelect in providing portable water for Nigeians. Besides, he urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of good hygiene in their environment to halt the spread of the dangerous disease.

Reacting to alleged disparity in salaries of pharmacists and other health care workers in the state, the PSN leader rued alleged non-employmentof more pharmacists in government employment, especially in the state's ministry of health. 

He noted, "we have over 150 pharmacists in Kwara state but because the government had only employed very few of them are now relocating  into neighbouring states for employment, this is nesessary because they will need initial capital to stand on their own in future."

 

By Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

The Guardian