In a bid to boost the health sector in the country, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria(PSN) has outlined 23 point agenda for the revamping of the sector.
Stating this at the maiden press conference for the year, the New Presidnet of the Society, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, said as the new ombudsman of the Professional body, he intends to focus on strengthening the society with collaborative, participatory, responsive and transparent leadership that would translate into better healthcare provision for the country's citzens, adding that his three year tenure will ensure actualisation of Pharm D. Programme as a minimum entry requirement for the practice of Pharmacy in the Country .
Among his 23-point agenda is the implementation of the much awaited National Drug Distribtion Guidelines (NDDG),as well as the National Health Act 2014 Implementation on Promation and support of Drug Research and Development.
He also said that PSN would create an online system for professional registration and e-learning for the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD), which was designed to update the knowlege of pharmacists and enable them keep abreast of advancement in pharmaceutical development and modern trends in the profession.
According to him, PSN will "establish research grants to undertake research and independent assessment of drug quality, MCPD needs of pharmacists, etc, in collaboration with academia; initiate professional indemnity insurance to pharmacists/and strengthen group insurance."
Explaining, Yakasi said he aims at promoting rational use of drugs with cooperation from medical fraternity, establish research grants to undertake research and independent assessment of drug quality, MCPD needs of pharmacists in collaboration with academia, among others.
This is just as he pledged to pursue vigorously the welfare of health workers in the country; establish Friends of Pharmacy Forum (FPF) to strengthen bonds with external bodies and bring about digital innovations to enhance the efficiency of the practice in line with international standards. Speaking further, the PSN boss explained that he was set to enhance the role of the association by means of wider advocacy at various national and international fora in order to achieve effective healthcare in the country.
We also aim at contributing to improved healthcare by fostering better communications with Federal and State Ministries" National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); National Primary Healthcare Devrlopment Agency (NPHCDA);National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS), Schools of Phamacy among others he added.
According to him other strategies of contributing to improved health care in the country were by strenghtening ties and relationships with other professional organisations and agencies as well as establishment of a mechanism for recognising and endorsing valuable(past, Present, and future); encouragement and giving more opportunities building capacities of young phamarcists and students of pharmacy; and strengthening of institutional Framework (Structure, Systems and Processes) of PSN, Yakasai noted.
Yakasai, however said that there was need to review pharmacy laws and regulation in collaboration with relevant arms of government in tandem with global best practices, noting that he seeks to strenghten institutional framework including; Structure, systems and process of the Society.
He further said that PSN under his regime will establish a mechanism for recongizing and endorsing valuable contributions of members(past, present and future) adding that, he will encourage, give more opportunities as wella build capacities of young pharmacists and students of pharmacy.
He also stated of his plan to establish a Medicines Information Centre in collaboration with United Kingdom Medicines Information Service, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and Monitor Health Care.
He said this is with the aim of finding ways of helping to reduce adverse drug events and medication-related errors, reducing prescription, dosage, and duplicate therapy errors, providing standard terminology and improved data entry, helping improve organisational efficiency, providing access to continually updated, evidenced-based clinical content and enhancing patient safety.
On polio, the PSN President said for Nigeria to be completely delisted from the endemic countries, the country must sustain the surveillance and immunisation so that by 2017 she can be certified free of polio.
He stressed that the eradi cation of polio can only be possible if the Federal and State Governments continue to meet the financial commitments for the sustained fight against the scourge
On the incessant strike actions by the various bodies in the health sector, he said he was saddened that in the earlier part of 2015, the whole of the health sector was plagued in unprecedented strike action, as a result of a legion of welfare issues and alleged violations of Memorandum of Understandings (MOU), as well as agreements with worker in the sector
He said the welfare issues, which have lingered for so long must be redressed. Yakasai explained: "Adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS) for health workers like was done with Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONHESS) for medical doctors to ensure parity must be achieved through the 2016 budgets.
The clamour for consultancy cadre must be approved for those health workers who have met the condition precedent with regards to due process.
"In 2016 the legal and moral teeth must be given the Health Act as part of an agenda to energise health care plans for our people.
It is our hope that the 2016 budget (3.65 per cent) will be fully implemented."
He decried a situation where Nigeria's first National Health Act was passed into law in 2014, but noting that nothing serious has happened in terms of implementation.
This Act, he said, if implemented would be funded from one per cent of Nigeria's consolidated revenue and grants by international donor partners through the National Health Care Development Agency, which will manage 45 per cent of the funds as follows: essential drugs and vaccines 20 per cent; laboratory equipment and transport 15 per cent; and human resources 10 per cent.
Yakasai said while the ational Health Insurance Scheme, which would manage 50 per cent of the fund will cover pregnant women, children who are less than five years, the elderly from 65 years and physically challenged persons.
The Federal Ministry of Health will manage five per cent of the fund for the provision of basic minimum package of health facilities (emergencies).
The PSN President, however, said the country's health sector was still battling with poor access to public health interventions, while diseases like Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, among others were still very much in the country.
Yakasai advocated for review of Nigeria's dependence on donor agencies, hence the government should strongly create enabling environment by way of intervention funds to enable local drug manufacturers to produce antiretroviral drugs and even vaccines.
"As we are all aware, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation Initiatives is gradually withdrawing from Nigeria.
I must appreciate the Federal Government through the National Health Care Development Agency for organising stakeholders forum on vaccines production to stimulate interest and develop a business plan for ' local vaccines production in Nigeria," he said.
Yakasai said. as Nigeria march on in 2016, the government must embrace universal health coverage to give teeth to global norms which presume that access to health must be the right of all citizens.
'The fastest way to achieving this is to embrace primary healthcare, which places a premium on preventive care," he said.
By: Martins lfijeh
Source: This Day News
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