Towards the success of its forthcoming Education Summit, the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) has inaugurated a planning committee to see to the organisation and mobilisation of stakeholders for a very impactful summit.
Headed by Dr Lolu Ojo as the chairman, membership of the committee cuts across virtually all spheres of Pharmacy, including the academia, industry, community, hospital and administrative, public health, regulatory, associations, and others.
Speaking on behalf of the NAPharm. President, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, who was unavoidably absent at the meeting, the Vice-President, NAPharm., Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, warmly welcomed all participants, while he chronicled the activities of the Academy from inception till date for the enlightenment of planning committee members, who were attending the Academy meeting for the first time.
He explained how the Academy has made significant impact in the society through advocacy and collaboration with other practitioners for the benefits of patients.
“The Academy has made several strategic interventions in national life since its establishment, working largely through systemic advocacy. In the area of education, for instance, it contributed significantly to efforts which resulted in the adoption of Clinical Pharmacy curriculum by the National Universities Commission (NUC), leading to the award of PharmD degree by Nigerian Universities.
“The Academy has, in this regard, enjoyed unfettered cooperation of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) as well as the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA). The first Pharmacy Education Summit was held from 22 to 24 April, 2015, in collaboration with PSN and PCN, with resource persons from NAPPSA and UK”, he asserted.
The NAPharm. Vice-President further noted that the Academy has also been in the forefront of mentoring and guiding young pharmacists via its mentoring programme, stating that a Young Pharmacists Mentoring Programme was organised on 22 March, 2016.
He did not fail to mention the roles played by the group in fostering interprofessional collaboration among Nigeria's healthcare professionals, as it has been a major aspect of the Academy's vision. “To this end, a symposium on Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare was organised on 11 May, 2017 in collaboration with PSN with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and seven other healthcare professional groups participated”.
His words: “The Academy is at the forefront of advocacy efforts for better funding and overall support for scientific and pharmaceutical research across Nigeria. We recognise that the march of disease can best be halted by targeted research and deliberately seek to address these problems. Consequently, the Academy formally launched the Olu Akinkugbe Research and Innovation Centre (OARIC) on September 13, 2018”.
For the Chairman, NAPharm. Education Planning Committee, Ojo stated the essence of the group to members, which is to bridge the gap in Pharmacy Education, and to facilitate the production of better pharmacists from Pharmacy Schools.
He highlighted the responsibilities of the committee to include: To organise Education Summit before 15 May, 2020; to determine the theme, topic, resource persons and venue for the Summit; the committee may call for memorandum to facilitate its assignment; And to mobilise the stakeholders for participation and support.
To enhance the easy execution of the committee’s job, chairman noted that sub-committees will be created to allow members to critically examine issues before arriving at conclusion of matters discussed at the meeting.
Some of the issues raised by members for critical discussion include: Thorough critique of the current Pharmacy Education curriculum; review of PharmD programme; upgrade of facilities in Pharmacy faculties; attitude of students; IT involvement; experiential learning; mentoring; out of school learning; support system; competency skill and knowledge, among other things.
Top among the members in attendance at the meeting were: Chairman, NAPharm Standing Committee on Education, Distinguished Professor Cecilia Igwilo; Pharm. (Mrs) Ngozi Onuorah, director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, NAFDAC; Vice-President, NAPharm, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, by Dr Lolu Ojo, chairman, Education Summit Planning Committee; Prof. Lere Baale; Pharm. Ade Popoola, MD, Reals Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Kunle Oyelana, MD, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc; National Chairman, ACPN, Pharm. Samuel Adekola; Chairmanship aspirant, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Oyo State, Pharm. Oluwole Ajayi; Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ogun State, Pharm. Pharm. Aiyelabola Lawrence.
Members of the committee also included: Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba; Dean of Pharmacy Faculty, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. M. A. Akanmu; Dean of Pharmacy Faculty, University of Lagos, Prof. Glory Oluremilekun Ajayi; Dean of Pharmacy Faculty, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Dr Oluyemisi A, Bamiro; National Chairman, Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) Dr Kingsley Amibor; Pharm. Anthony Oyawole; Mrs Modupe Bakare, director of pharmaceutical services, Lagos State Health Service Commission; Pharm.(Mrs) Margaret Obono, director of Pharmacy, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos; Pharm.(Mrs) Modupe Oyawole, assistant director of Pharmacy, LASUTH; Pharm. Pharm. Isa Muhammad, national chairman, Young Pharmacists Group; among others.
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