You must maintain high ethical standard of PCN, Registrar urges 64 ESUT inductees

The Registrar of Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, has enjoined 64 graduands of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, to always maintain the ethics and leadership standards set by the body for quality healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

The Registrar made the call during the 3rd oath taking and induction ceremony for the 2021/2022 graduands of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ESUT Agbani, Enugu State weekend.

In his charge before the induction, the Registrar noted; “As pharmacists, you are expected to get yourselves acquainted with the Code of Professional Ethics which prescribes your professional and moral responsibilities to the patients, pharmacist colleagues, other health professionals, your employers and the general public among others. Strict compliance to the code of ethics is indispensable for the practice of pharmacy profession.”

He equally enjoined the graduands to eschew misconduct during practice, adding that PCN Investigation Panel, and its Disciplinary Tribunal do not spare any pharmacist found guilty of violating the ethics of the profession.

While congratulating the graduands, the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Prof Aloysius -Michaels Okolie, stressed that Management of the University was committed to improving the standard of education and scholarship in the Institution.

The Vice Chancellor who offered immediate employment to the best-graduating student of the graduating set, Innocent Rejoicing Chijindum , said that the goal of the Management was to spread its tentacles in collaborating with private sectors to find mutually beneficial mix between the town and gown.

Prof Okolie pointed out that since his assumption of office, ESUT Management had never failed in prompt payment of workers salaries and upgrade of infrastructure in the University, adding that the goal was to make ESUT the beacon of academic excellence in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Dean Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ESUT, Prof. Anthony Attama, while congratulating the graduands, announced with joy and fulfilment that the National Universities Commission, NUC, has approved the commencement of Doctor of Pharmacy, Pharm D, degree programme beginning from the 2023/2024 academic session in the University.

To that effect, he said that the next candidates for 2023 admission would be for six-year Pharm D degree programme.
He noted that the new ESUT Faculty of Pharmacy building under construction would on completion, be the biggest in West Africa.
Prof Attama used the occasion to thank the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Okolie, and his team of Management for their efforts and concerns.
He also commended the staff and students of the Faculty for their continued supports.

In his keynote paper presentation titled ‘Pharmaceutical Sector and the Economic Development of Nigeria,’ the National Chairman, Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria , Kenneth Onuegbu, said that the pharmaceutical sector plays key role in ensuring the wellbeing of the populace and economic stimulation.

Onuegbu, who is equally the Managing Director of Tricare Pharmaceutical Ltd Lagos, Nigeria explained that the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Market, NPM, is the second largest in Africa after South Africa, supplying more than 60% of drugs consumed in West Africa sub-region.

He further noted that despite the enviable status of the NPM, it contributes less than 0.5% of Nigeria’s Gross
Domestic Product, GDP.
The Tricare CEO maintained that
the Pharmaceutical sector, plays key roles in healthcare improvement, employment generation and economic growth, adding that the sector if properly harnessed could impact the economy positively in GDP growth, employment generation, and foreign direct investment.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Managing Director of Vadis Pharmaceutical Limited, Enugu, Emeka Udeze “Ogene Ogidi” said that given the level of infrastructure upgrade in the ESUT pharmaceutical sciences, it would be leading in research and drugs output in West Africa.

The Chairman who was represented in the ceremony by Egbuna Udeora, Deputy President, (South) Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PSN, while congratulating the graduands, enjoined them to be good ambassadors of their Alma Mater.

The ceremony was graced by some principal and key officers of ESUT ,including the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Okolie; his Deputy , Prof Chike Nwoha; the University Registrar, Ambrose Ugwu; the ESUT Bursar, Dr. Augustine Ojeh; the University Librarian, Dr. Jonas Ezema; Deans and faculty staff of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ESUT and parents and well-wishers of the graduands.