PHARMACISTS under the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have again called on the National Assembly to amend the controversial sections of the National Health Bill.

  PSN in a communiqué released at the end of its 86th annual national conference tagged “Harmony 2013” held recently in Ilorin, Kwara “admonished the National Assembly to immediately amend the controversial section 1(1) which is in direct conflict with provisions in the existing Acts of Parliaments including the PCN Act, Medical Laboratory Science Council Act and Nursing and Midwifery Council Act to remove suspicions that the Health Bill is an attempt to forcibly remove the autonomy of other health professions in Nigeria.” 

  The communiqué signed by the PSN President, Olumide Akintayo, and the National Secretary, Victor Okwuosa, also “counselled the National Assembly to open the frontiers in the borders of healthcare by removing the unconstitutional clauses in section 9 of the draft health bill which vests the headship of the proposed national institution in only one profession in a multi-disciplinary health sector.” 

  The conference empowered the President of the PSN to join forces with other allies to enforce constitutional imperatives in this regards should anything contrary to the above arise in the months ahead.

  The conference received and discussed issues on research and economic development and how to link research into health development programmes; foresaw the rich potential of herbal medical resources and urged government to tap into these to harness benefits inherent in herbal medicines; and called on the government to further provide coordination among the health related research bodies in Nigeria.

  The conference challenged hospital and community pharmacists to adopt the right mental attitude and focus in matching expectations of the consuming public with regards to new roles in Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) as approved by the National Council on Health, appropriate drug labelling through the dispensing software initiative and other responsibilities as they emerge from on-going consultations with government at all levels.

  The conference “condemned in strong and absolute terms the extremely rude posturing of the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele who has never failed to show contempt, hatred and bitterness in comments against the profession of pharmacy and the leadership of PSN.”

  The communiqué reads: “Conference in particular decried the destructive mission of the Enabulele led NMA and his allies in the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria who intimidated the management of Central Hospital, Benin into refusing access to the facilities of the hospital to train pharmacy students who are citizens of Nigeria who will offer a benefit package to the indigenes of Edo State in future only on grounds of professional arrogance. Conference therefore renewed earlier calls that the Comrade Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole step into the situation urgently with a view to redressing such aberrations in the long term interest of the citizenry.”

  The Conference appraised the totality of the strategies to reposition pharmacy practice in Nigeria and gave kudos to the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Council for some achievements in recent times; and acknowledged a need to consolidate these gains and therefore recognised the fledging League of Pharmacist Directors of Nigeria as a support group in organised pharmacy.

  The Conference called on the Head of Service of the Federation and Chairman, National Salaries and Wages Commission to urgently review the remuneration, allowances and other professional privileges due hospital pharmacists in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice as this will boost morale while also guaranteeing reward for labour for these key personnel in healthcare in Nigeria.

  The Conference endorsed proposed amendments to the PSN Constitution 2005 and gave approval for the use of a new PSN Constitution 2013.

  The Conference specially acknowledged with an award plaque the efforts of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the executive governor of Kano for contributing to sanitising the drug distribution channel in Nigeria through the closure of the Sabongari drug market in Kano, Kano State and his genuine investment in manpower development in pharmacy practice in Kano and thanked the executive governor of Kwara State, the Emir of Ilorin and the good people of Kwara State for their hospitality which facilitated the success of the conference.