Community Pharmacists under the auspices of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Lagos State branch have blamed the rising incidences of drug abuse on the failure of the Federal government to shut down open drug markets across the country.
The pharmacists also said the government should address the issue of drug distribution which involves the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, NDDG, by December this year or is held accountable on drug misuse and abuse in Nigeria.
At a press briefing in Lagos to announce its 37th Annual National Conference tagged Edo 2018 with the theme: “Medicines Abuse in Nigeria: A call to Action for Community Pharmacists”, the National Chairman of ACPN, Dr. Kelong Albert Alkali said Nigerians are suffering for no fault of theirs while government failed to take action until the country was embarrassed over codeine abuse.
“Companies should also account for what they produce. The prevalence of drug abuse in our society by especially the youth is alarming in order to create awareness we decided to walk against drug abuse during the conference. The youths are the future of this country if they are destroyed when the country is doomed.”
The keynote address at the conference that holds July 1st to 7th 2018, will be delivered by former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole while a walk against drug abuse will be led by the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the Registrar, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, among others.
On her part, the National Secretary of ACPN, Pharm. Abosede Idowu explained that over 1,000 participants are expected to be at the conference, adding that the role and contribution of community pharmacists in the past will also be reviewed.
Speaking on the election of new National Executives, Pharm Idris Pada said: “The past six months have been laden with virtual as well as physical, nationwide campaigns.
The intensity of the effort applied by each aspirant has arrested the attention of all other pharmacists in other segments of Pharmacy such as the Academic, Hospital and Industrial Pharmacists. This is because Community Pharmacy is the flagship of the profession, having the highest population, and representing each Career Pharmacists.
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