Pharm.(Dr) Egbunna Udeorah, is the managing consultant, Global Spectra Consulting and managing director, Global Spectra Pharmacy with head office in Enugu. He is a Fellow of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), as well as Fellow of Institute of Management Consultant and a Knight of St. Christopher of Anglican Communion. A seasoned executive in organised Pharmacy activities at various levels, he has served as Public Relations Officer, Enugu State PSN, National Publicity Secretary of PSN, Chairman of PSN Enugu State Chapter, Unofficial Member of PSN National and others.
In this exclusive interview with Pharmanewsonline, Udeorah, who is an aspirant for the post of PSN Deputy President, South, revealed how he is going to bring his wealth of experience to bare in achieving his 12-point agenda for the elevation of Pharmacy and pharmacists.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Please tell us a little about yourself?
I am Dr Egbuna C. Udeorah a Fellow of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), a Fellow of Institute of Management Consultant and a Knight of St Christopher of Anglican Communion. I had my B.Pharm and Pharm.D from the University of Benin, an alumni of Lagos Business School (SMP 34). And I have attended several training in sales and marketing both in Nigeria and abroad.
I have worked in Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Juhel Nig Ltd and rose through the ranks. I am the Managing Consultant Global Spectra Consulting and also Managing Director of Global Spectra Pharmacy with head office in Enugu. I am married to Pharm (Mrs) Uzoamaka A Udeorah and we have children. I am a member of Enugu Sports Club and the captain of the badminton section.
How long have you been involved in organised Pharmacy activities and what significant roles did you play?
I have been involved in organised Pharmacy activities from my university years at the University of Benin. I have served Pharmacy at various capacities notably as Public Relations Officer of Enugu State PSN, National Publicity Secretary of PSN, Chairman of PSN Enugu State, Unofficial Member of PSN National. I have also served in several committees such as , Publicity Committee, Conference Planning Committee, and many others.
Why are you interested in contesting for the post of the PSN Deputy President South?
Having been at the centre of organised Pharmacy activities at the national level since 2012, when I was elected as publicity secretary and I understand our struggles as a profession. As we are all aware, professional bodies all over the world are continuously evolving and are competing for survival and relevance in the community.
With the trend of information technology and ubiquity of information, both fake and real, professionals need to position themselves better to be appreciated by the society.
Also, in a place like ours where we have a lot of laws without implementation and process of law making are manipulated, such that laws are enacted to serve the interests of the highest bidder or the most privileged in government, we need to be involved or we lose out. In this wise, experience comes in handy and can't be done away with.
I have worked with a lot of past presidents, and also with the four aspirants for the post of the PSN president in one way or the other. As a deputy president, I will be able to bring my experience to bare as we pursue the following:
• Implementation of Pharmacist Consultant Cadre in all the relevant institutions
• Recognition of Doctor of Pharmacy degree as a basic qualification for pharmacists/implementation of Pharm.D curriculum in all the schools of Pharmacy in the country
• Pursuit of salary enhancement for pharmacists in the public sector
• Pursuit of adjustment of retirement age for health workers in public service to 65years.
• Pursuit of implementation of universal health coverage and payment of global capitation to community pharmacies in the NHIS
• Pursuit of recognition of community Pharmacies as primary health centres.
• Pursuit of review/ amendment of university teaching hospitals (reconstitution of board) decree 10 of 1985 (now Act Cap U. 15, LFN 2004)
• Pursuit of passage of Pharmacy bill into law.
• Pursuit of the passage of Essential Drugs Provision in Public health sector Bill, 2021 into law.
• Establishment of CWC with pharmacists taking their relevant positions
• Central Internship placement
• Payment of COIVID-19 hazard allowance to all pharmacists who were in the frontline during the pandemic
Working closely with the PSN president and NEC, we will protect the interest of pharmacists in all the area of pharmacy practice, which is the major objective of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. We will ensure that pharmacists earn their worth in Nigeria. We will also make sure that the training of pharmacists keep improving by working closely with PCN.
It appears as if some PSN deputy presidential candidates did not fulfill their mandates, when they eventually got into office, as pharmacists did feel their impacts enough. How will you change this narrative when you are elected as the PSN Deputy President South?
Deputy presidents (North or South) are meant to work with the president and NEC to achieve the president’s objective. Deputy president should be able to key into the president’s mandates and be of help to the president in achieving good result for the betterment of pharmacists and the profession.
What is your agenda for the incoming PSN president?
The incoming president should kick off immediately after he is sworn in this November to pursue enactment and implementation of all the laws that will enable pharmacists earn their worth in Nigeria. That is the most important thing for Nigerian pharmacists.
Great level of advocacy activities will be of help and as Men of Honor, we must join hands to achieve this.
