THE West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) has called on countries within the region to shake off cumbersome bureaucratic processes and recognise pharmacy fellows as consultants.

 

The College echoed this call in Abuja at its 25th scientific session and yearly general meeting.

 

WAPCP called on relevant authorities of member countries to recognise Fellows of the College as Specialist Pharmacists/Consultants in their areas of specialisation.

 

Chairman of Nigerian chapter of the College, Ike Onyechi, said at the meeting that the body was stepping up efforts to advance postgraduate education and training in all disciplines of pharmacy for the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, skills and competency to promote and maintain a high standard of professional pharmacy practice.

 

He lamented that over one year after WAPCP secured approval for the adjustment across West Africa, many states were yet start implementation.

 

His words: “The way bureaucracy goes in our country, some states are yet to start enforcing and recognising this approval, which we already have for about one year.”

 

Meanwhile, the College says that it has produced some 900 fellows till date out of which 80 per cent are Nigerians.

 

Niger State, the College said, has the highest number of pharmacy fellows in its employ, with 16 out of 20 fellows from Niger hired by the state.

 

Its recommendations were instrumental to Nigeria’s adoption of artemisinin-combination therapy as the current treatment for malaria.

 

This year, its scientific session focused on what it described as the “silent scourge” of hepatitis B amidst rising incidence of the disease.

 

“Hepatitis B is more virulent than HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS). The fluid that can pass hepatitis B is even smaller than the quantity of blood that can transmit HIV. Where (hepatitis B can be escaped), a little contact can transmit hepatitis B and there are so many people who are healthy carriers going about,” the organisation warned.

 

Head of Pharmacy Department at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Hafsat Jimoh, who lectured a session at the meeting said: “We need to sensitise the public to that fact, so that we mind how we share sharp objects, how we get contact with blood, and even tears. The virus has been identified in almost any type of fluid in the body.

 

“It is a very big issue, particularly now that we have mothers whose immune system is compromised by HIV”.