A Vancouver-based research team led by Canada’s most cited neuroscientist, Dr. Patrick McGeer, has successfully carried out studies suggesting that, if started early enough, a daily regimen of the non-prescription NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) ibuprofen can prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

This means that by taking an over-the-counter medication, people can ward off a disease that, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International’s World Alzheimer Report 2016, affects an estimated 47 million people worldwide, costs health care systems worldwide more than US$818 billion per year and is the fifth leading cause of death in those aged 65 or older.

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that there are more than 5 million cases in the United States alone, with a new case being identified every 66 seconds. The annual cost to the country in 2017 is estimated have been $259 billion, with that figure predicted to potentially rise to $1.1 trillion by 2050.

In 2016, Dr. McGeer and his team announced that they had developed a simple saliva test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, as well as predict its future onset. The test is based on measuring the concentration of the peptide amyloid beta protein 42 (Abeta42) secreted in saliva. In most individuals, the rate of Abeta 42 production is almost exactly the same regardless of sex or age. However, if that rate of production is two to three times higher, those individuals are destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease. That is because Abeta42 is a relatively insoluble material, and although it is made everywhere in the body, deposits of it occur only in the brain, causing neuroinflammation, which destroys neurons in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Contrary to the widely held belief that Abeta 42 is made only in the brain, Dr. McGeer’s team demonstrated that the peptide is made in all organs of the body and is secreted in saliva from the submandibular gland. As a result, with as little as one teaspoon of saliva, it is possible to predict whether an individual is destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This gives them an opportunity to begin taking early preventive measures such as consuming non-prescription non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.

“What we’ve learned through our research is that people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s exhibit the same elevated Abeta 42 levels as people who already have it; moreover, they exhibit those elevated levels throughout their lifetime so, theoretically, they could get tested anytime,” says Dr. McGeer. “Knowing that the prevalence of clinical Alzheimer’s Disease commences at age 65, we recommend that people get tested ten years before, at age 55, when the onset of Alzheimer’s would typically begin. If they exhibit elevated Abeta 42 levels then, that is the time to begin taking daily ibuprofen to ward off the disease.

“Unfortunately, most clinical trials to date have focused on patients whose cognitive deficits are already mild to severe, and when the therapeutic opportunities in this late stage of the disease are minimal. Consequently, every therapeutic trial has failed to arrest the disease’s progression. Our discovery is a game changer. We now have a simple test that can indicate if a person is fated to develop Alzheimer’s disease long before it begins to develop. Individuals can prevent that from happening through a simple solution that requires no prescription or visit to a doctor. This is a true breakthrough since it points in a direction where AD can eventually be eliminated.”

Source: Daily Post

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As an outcome of the roundtable convened by the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in December last year in Kano on the rising drug abuse in the country, the Senate has developed two draft Bills for legislation to tackle the menace.

The proposed Bills are National Drug Control Bill and National Mental Health Bill.

A statement from the Media Office of the President of the Senate said the Drug Control Bill seeks to clarify the mandate and strengthen the capacity of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant law enforcement and regulatory bodies to eradicate the illicit production and trafficking of controlled substances.

It also seeks to establish a central mechanism to facilitate collaboration among law enforcement, regulatory and public health authorities in line with the National Drug Control Policy.

The Bill further focuses on proactive law enforcement and regulatory measures towards the eradication of the illicit importation, production and trafficking of controlled substances.

It also criminalizes the diversion, distribution or otherwise dispensing of controlled substances without a prescription or license.

On mental health Bill, the statement noted that, “in recognition of the fact that psychosocial issues are the key drivers for the abuse of psychoactive substances, the Bill was crafted to ensure that standard facilities are available in every state to provide mental health and substance abuse services.

“The proposed law guarantees the protection of the rights of people with mental illness and stipulates that mental health practitioners and facilities no longer engage in practices that are harmful to people with mental health and substance use disorders.

“In recognizing the low number of mental health practitioners in the country with the ratio of practitioners at one psychiatrist to 1.6 million people, the draft law makes provision for quality mental health and substance abuse services available for women and adolescents, who are an underserved segment of the population.”

Commenting on the draft Bills, Saraki said a provision for stiffer sanctions would be made in the bills as proactive mechanism in the prevention of drug trafficking and abuse.

He pledged the commitment of the Senate in the speedy passage of the bills to give a legal framework to help mitigate drug abuse in the country.

Source: Daily Post

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The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), has arraigned a top  traditional medical practitioner, Mr. Olayemi Lateef, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly producing fake and counterfeit sex enhancing drugs.

NAFDAC in a six-count charge, stated that the accused who is a leader of the Psychotherapists Association of Nigeria (PAN), was alleged to have on January 23, 2018, at 1, Kolaq Street, Denro Road, Kolaq Bus Stop, Ojodu Berger , Lagos, manufactured fake drugs to with : Libigal for men and Universur D’ Booster.

The offence committed is said to be contrary to section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act , Cap.C34,LFN,2004 and punishable under Section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act.

Count two of the charge reads “That you Olayemi Lateef, Male, of Kolaq Street, Isasi-Akute, Ogun State, on or about January 23, 2018, at the same address within the jurisdiction of the court, was found in possession of fake drugs to with: Libigal for Men and Universur D’ Booster contrary to section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods( Miscellaneous Provisions) Act , Cap, C34, LFN 2004 punishable under Section 3(1)(a) of the same Act.”

And the count three of the charge read “That you Olayemi Lateef, at the same time and place, did advertise the said fake and counterfeit drugs Libigal for Men and Universur D” Booster an offence punishable under the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and consequent upon the defendant’s no-guilty plea,  the prosecution represented by Mr Adumen Jombo asked the court for a trial date.

However, counsel to accused, Mr. Victor Opara informed the court of a pending application for the defendant’s bail which he consequently moved.

In moving the application for bail, Opara told the court of the health challenges of the defendant which he said has defied orthodox medicine and that Olayemi now relied on traditional medicine for his treatment. He added that such traditional medicine are not available in the prison for the treatment of defendant.

Opara further submitted that his client had always submitted himself to court when ever the matter comes up since he was granted administrative bail, and that there is no likelihood that he will jump bail if granted.

The lawyer to the accused added that the law presumed that his client is innocent until proved otherwise by the court, this he said, makes the balance of convenience tilts in favour of the defendant.

He therefore urged the court to grant bail to his client.

After listened to the submission of  lawyer on the bail application, Justice Ayotunde Faji, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in the like sum.

The judge also ordered that the sureties must show to court evidence three years tax payment, means of livelihood and have their addresses verified by the court’s registrar.

Justice Faji while adjourning the matter till May 21 and 22, 2018 for trial, however orders that the accused be remanded in prisons custody, pending the perfection of the bail terms.

Source: Daily Trust

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The circulation of fake Penicillin –V tablets in South West Cameroon is responsible for the fake penicillin circulation in Nigeria, according to the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).

The president of the society, Ahmed Yakasai, said it is alerting the general public to the threat posed by Nigeria’s close proximity to Cameroon.

“Nigerians, especially pharmacists and other health care professionals, should place precautions with a view to preventing the importation of the drug into Nigeria,” he said.

PSN is not the only group that is concerned about the development, Yakasai added that the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Federal Ministry of Health and office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation issued similar advisory in line with the report of the General Council of Medical Colleges, Spain in the January/February 2018 edition of its Journal of Tropical Medicine.

Source: Concise News

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Press Release.

LONDON & LAGOS, Nigeria & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Alta Semper partners with Nigeria’s leading retail pharmacy chain, HealthPlus:

Founded in 1999 by Mrs. Bukky George, Health Plus Limited (“HealthPlus” or the “Company”) is made up of approximately 80 retail outlets, making it one of the largest specialty retailers in West Africa.

The investment from Alta Semper Capital LLP (“Alta Semper”) will enable HealthPlus to continue to expand its store footprint, allow the Company to continue to invest in market-leading human talent, develop regional distribution centres in commercial hubs across Nigeria as well as selectively explore private label and e-commerce initiatives.

Mrs. Bukky George will remain as CEO of HealthPlus to steward the business through its next phase of growth and development.

Alta Semper Capital LLP

Alta Semper, a private equity manager investing flexible and strategic capital across select African growth markets, announced today a partnership with Nigeria’s leading retail pharmacy chain HealthPlus. Under the terms of the agreement, Alta Semper is investing US$18 million into HealthPlus, which will enable the company to expand its retail footprint and enhance its competitive position. Alta Semper specifically invests into market-leading businesses in defensive sub-sectors within the consumer and healthcare verticals.

The healthcare and retail markets in Nigeria are characterised by growing demand, driven by favourable demographics, increased consumer awareness and evolving consumption patterns. Furthermore, Nigeria is home to one of the least penetrated formal retail markets in the world, despite its large and growing population. The retail pharmacy sector is highly fragmented, with many independent drug stores and several patent medicine outlets. Furthermore, given structural challenges with the industry supply chain, counterfeit pharmaceuticals find their way into over forty percent of the retail market, while most wholesale and retail sales across the country are still made through informal markets. Moreover, much of the healthcare infrastructure is confined to major cities, with people living in urban areas having approximately four times as much access to healthcare as those living in rural areas.

The investment into HealthPlus will enable the Company to capture the pent-up demand for high-quality yet affordable healthcare and professional beauty supplies by developing regional distribution centres in commercial hubs across Nigeria, rapidly expanding the Company’s footprint across Nigeria as well as developing a wholesale channel and investing in private label and e-commerce.

This transaction marks Alta Semper’s first investment in Nigeria.

Health Plus Limited
HealthPlus was founded in 1999 by Mrs. Olubukunola Adewunmi (Bukky) George, FPSN, a Nigeria and UK-trained pharmacist with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, who has organically grown the business into the leading pharmacy chain and retailer of beauty supplies in West Africa.

The Company’s quest is to provide the Nigerian consumer with high-quality, life-saving and affordable products and services. Furthermore, the Company aims to make a meaningful and lasting impact by contributing its quota to the achievement of universal healthcare coverage and to increasing life expectancy for all Nigerians.

The Company targets a broad base of consumers through the provision of healthcare products such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, nutritional supplements, natural remedies, home medical equipment, mobility aids and pharmacy services. The Company employs over 700 people which includes 150 pharmacists, with at least two pharmacists dispensing prescription medicines and providing counselling, free health screenings and value-adding pharmacy services at each pharmacy. It operates branches in strategically-located residential areas, shopping centres and airports across 11 of the 36 states in Nigeria. HealthPlus has one of the highest brand recognition and ratings of any consumer company in Nigeria.

The Company’s dedication and professionalism has been recognised with several excellence awards including the ICERTIAS Best Buy Award for #1 Pharmacy in Best Price-Quality Ratio 2017, the Nigerian Customer Service Award for Best in the Pharmaceutical Category 2017 and the Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) 2016, 2015, 2014.

Commenting on the investment, Bukky George, Founder & CEO of HealthPlus said, “We believe Alta Semper is the right partner for our next stage of growth. Alta Semper’s focus on the healthcare sector, as well as its ability to invest patient and flexible capital, will allow us to grow strategically across Nigeria and further our mission to provide high quality and affordable healthcare products and services to a market that is large and growing. Our vision is to be Africa’s #1 for pharmacy, wellness and beauty. We believe we have found a partner who can help us achieve this goal over the coming years.”

Commenting on the investment, Afsane Jetha, Managing Partner & CEO of Alta Semper said,
“We are very excited about our partnership with HealthPlus, a remarkable example of a homegrown company that has become one of the largest specialty retailers in West Africa. We believe HealthPlus is well-positioned to take advantage of the grossly under-penetrated Nigerian pharmacy retail market and meet the growing demands of Nigerian consumers, as well as to expand regionally into neighbouring countries. We believe that this is an opportune time to enter the Nigerian retail market and invest into a market-leading player such as HealthPlus, which presents a unique risk-adjusted entry strategy, given its existing size and geographic scope. We are looking forward to working closely with Bukky George and her team to further unlock the Company’s growth potential.”

Alta Semper’s legal advisors were Olaniwun Ajayi LP and international law firm Hogan Lovells International LLP.

HealthPlus’ financial advisor was CardinalStone Partners and legal advisory was provided by Banwo & Ighodalo.

Alta Semper Capital LLP: Alta Semper Capital LLP is an FCA authorised and regulated investment manager based in London. Alta Semper was founded in 2015 by Afsane Jetha (former Managing Director of the Africa Private Equity platform at the Duet Group), Ronald Lauder (Former US Ambassador to Austria and current Chairman of Clinique Laboratories) and Richard Parsons (former CEO of Time Warner Group and current Chairman of the Board of the Rockefeller Foundation). The investment in HealthPlus marks the firm’s second investment into the healthcare sector in Africa, after its investment into Macro Pharmaceuticals in Egypt in 2017.

Source: PE Hub Network

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The Commissioner for Information in Abia State, Mr. John Okiyi, has confirmed the outbreak of the deadly lassa fever at the Federal Medical Centre, in Umuahia.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Okiyi made the disclosure in a statement in Umuahia on Monday, saying that the government and the hospital management had swung into action to check the spread of the disease.

“The Abia State Government is aware of the reported outbreak of Lassa Fever at FMC, Umuahia.

“The state Ministry of Health is working with the authorities of the FMC to ensure full containment of the disease,’’ he said.

The commissioner added that prophylactic treatment of others, who might have come in contact with the victims had commenced in earnest.

“We have fully deployed all our emergency medical response systems to instantly ensure full containment and management of the outbreak,’’ Okiyi said.

He charged all those who had contact with the child, suspected to be the index case, and the medical doctor, who lost her life, to report immediately to the hospital for further review.

The commissioner assured the people that drug for the treatment of the disease was in adequate supply in the state.

According to him, there is no cause for panic as the disease can be successfully treated, especially if diagnosed early.

However, the authorities of the hospital have said that it was too early to conclude that the deceased contracted the disease in the hospital.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Chuku Abali, said it would be premature to conclude that because a medical doctor in FMC died of the disease, then there was an outbreak of the disease in the hospital.

Abali said that the deceased tested positive did not mean that she contracted the disease until the hospital was through with the investigations.

“We cannot say she got it at the FMC or in any private clinic. If a patient is brought to the FMC from the village with haemorrhage, you cannot conclude that it is lassa fever.

“You know malaria and other diseases can cause similar symptoms,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Abali confirmed that a team of investigators from the National Centre for Disease Control had arrived at the hospital to carry out thorough investigations on the matter.

The CMD called for restraint until the end of the investigations, saying that the findings of the team would be made public.

He gave assurance that the hospital was fully equipped to handle any ailment, including lassa fever, but insisted that proper diagnosis had to be carried out first to be sure.

NAN learnt that the deceased, whose identity had not been ascertained as of  the time of filing the report, contracted the disease after handling a child in the hospital suspected to be suffering from the disease.

The doctor reportedly died on Sunday at Irua Specialist Hospital in Edo.

Source: Punch

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PHARMACISTS COUNCIL OF NIGERIA
(Established by Act CAP P.17, LFN, 2004) Plot 7/9, Idu Industrial Layout, Idu, Abuja E-mail: pcnig@yahoo.ca; connect@pcn.gov.ng; Phone: 0803-687-5869, 0806-605-5429 Website: www.pcn.gov.ng

Preamble
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) is the Federal Government Agency established by Act CAP P17, LFN 2004 and charged with the regulation and control of Pharmacy Education, Training and Practice in all aspects and ramifications. The first cycle of the PCN Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP) was held in seven (07) centers across the country on March 24, 2018. The second cycle is scheduled for October 20, 2018 at the designated centers. Candidates interested in writing the October Examination are requested to visit PCN offices in their States of residence for registration. Registration for October Examination closes by October 5, 2018. The results of March 24, 2018 examination is as follows:
PASS LIST

1. ABBA EMMANUEL

2. ABBA FELIX OGONNAYA

3. ABDULKADIR SHAMSU

4. ABDULKAREEM SHERIFAH

5. ABDULLAHI RABIAT HUSSEINI

6. ABDULLAZIZ MUHAMMED PETER

7. ABDULSALAM ABDULLAHI

8. ABUBAKAR AWAWU MORENIKE

9. ABUBAKAR IBRAHIM ABDULLAHI

10. ACHEKA EMMANUEL

11. ACHI CHUKWUBUIKEM JAMES

12. ACHILEFU CHIOMA OGHENENYOREM

13. ADAMA RUTH ADITIMI

14. ADAMU YUSUF ISAH

15. ADEBAYO OPEYEMI MERCY

16. ADEBOLA OLUSHOLA ODUNAYO

17. ADEBOWALE AKINTUNDE ZACCHAEUS

18. ADEDOYIN MARY OLUWAMODUPE

19. ADEFOLAJU IFELOLUWA TOLULAYO

20. ADEITAN SAHEED AYODEJI

21. ADEITAN SAMIAT OLUWATOBI

22. ADEKUNLE OLUWAFEMI OLUWASEGUN

23. ADELAJA ADEJOKE MARY

24. ADENIRAN OLUWADAMILOLA FAITH

25. ADESESAN ADERONKE OLUWAFISAYO

26. ADESHINA MICHAEL ADESHOLA

27. ADEYEMI ADEBOLA ADEDAMOLA

28. ADEYEMI ADEGOKE AHMED

29. ADEYEMI OLAYEMI OLUMUYIWA

30. ADIGUN BOLUWATIFE BLESSING

31. ADJEREBE COLLINS OVWARHO

32. ADO BARAKA

33. ADO HAMISU YUSUF

34. ADO HAMZA ABDULLAHI

35. AFAGWU EJIMOFOR CONSTANT

36. AFOLAYAN HELEN TAIYE

37. AGBARAKWE MIRIAM CHIZOBA

38. AGBOOLA OLAMIPOSI JANET

39. AGBOOLA SAHEED OLAJIDE

40. AGBOOLA SAMUEL OLAKUNLE

41. AGBOR ONUWA DAVID

42. AHMAD JAMILU

43. AIHIE DANIEL IKPONMWOSA

44. AITIEHI ENOMA LOUIS

45. AJAGHA NWIHIE NGOZI

46. AJAKAYE CHRISTY OLUBUNMI

47. AJAYI SAMUEL OLUWASEUN

48. AJEINU FREDRICK

49. AJEMBA AMAKA FAUSTINA

50. AJUKA EMMANUEL OKENI

51. AJURUONU CHUKWUMA BENJAMIN

52. AKANJI OLAJUMOKE IBUKUN

53. AKEEB AZEEZAT ADEBUSOLA

54. AKINDELE IBIRONKE MUIBAT

55. AKINJOLA JIBOLA OLUMUYIWA

56. AKINSEYE OPEYEMI AKINYEMI

57. AKINSIKU SOROMIDAYO TOLUWANIMI

58. AKPA PAULINE ENE

59. AKPOKERE MARIAN OCHUKO

60. AKPOTARENO FAITH OGHENEWOKE

61. AKROMATE AWOINGOFA .A

62. AKUNWA HENRIETTA AKUNWA

63. ALAKWEM EBUKA JOSEPHAT

64. ALEBIOSU KAYODE MICHAEL

65. ALLI-OKE TAIWO TEMITOPE

66. ALOM MARTIN ZAHEMEN

67. AMADI CYNTHIA NGOZI

68. AMADI NNAEMEKA CHIMEREZE G.

69. AMAEHIEHU CHIMEREUCHE AMOS

70. AMINU MUBARAK

71. AMINU OMUYA ABDULRAHAMAN

72. AMOBI CHIDINMA PEACE

73. ANAELOM, EVARISTA CHISOM

74. ANAKPULU ONYEDIKCHI CHIZOBA

75. ANAZODO FRANCIS IFEANYI

76. ANDERO OLUWAKOYA ABIDEMI

77. ANELE RUSSEL UGOCHUKWU

78. ANIFOWOSHE RUKAYAT MODUPEOLA

79. ANUTA OGHENEVOVWERO

80. ANYAEGUNAM IKENNA CHUKWUEBUKA

81. ANYAKEE ONYINYE PRISCA

82. ARABAMBI SAMSON BABATUNDE

83. AREMU ADEDAYO ABIODUN

84. AREMU OLUWAGBEMIGA TITUS

85. ARIEMU UGOCHUKWU STEPHANIE

86. ARIKO NAIMA AVOSUAHI

87. ASIEGBU UKAMAKA OKWUCHUKWU

88. ASIHEBIARAM CONFIDENCE EKENE

89. ASOGWA CHIZOBA MARTHA

90. ASUQUO ITORO JOHN

91. ATTAMAH KINGSLEY TOBECHUKWU

92. AVWENAGHA TEJIRI

93. AWHARHIEVWIE OMUARORE EMMANUEL

94. AYANDA OLUWADAMILOLA ELIZABETH

95. AYO AYOMIDE OLUWAKOREDE

96. AYOBAMIJI AMUDAT SUKURAT

97. AYOOLA ABIOLA ELIZABETH

98. AYOOLA RAFIAT ADEOLA

99. AZEEZ AMINAT IDOWU

100 AZEEZ SURAJUDEEN LANRE

101. AZERE EFEZINO OROWO

102 BABANLUNGU DAHIR AHMAD

103. BABATUNDE OMOLOLA JANET

104. BABTUNDE ABDULRASHEED AKANBI

105. BADMUS OLUREMI AMOS

106. BADOM KOOTE TONBARI

107. BAKARE OLUWATOSIN BLESSING

108. BAKARI RASHIDA HAMMANYERO

109. BALA AHMAD

110. BALA DOGARA DADDIBOY

111. BALE-NDII BARILEDUM

112. BALOGUN HALIMAT OLUSOLA

113. BANJO EMMANUEL OLADAPO

114. BASHIR FAUZIAT OWANU

115. BASSEY UDEME EFFIONG

116. BAZUNU NAOMI

117. BELLO ABDURRAHMAN MURTALA

118. BELLO ABIDEMI JOSEPH

119. BEN OMOH EMMANUEL

120. BENONI JACOB BENORU

121. BISIRIYU SAHEED SEUN

122. BITRUS MIGHI KAMBASHA

123. CHARLIE JOHN AKPAN

124. CHIBUEZE CHIOMA GRACE

125. CHINEMELU BLESSING ONYINYECHUKWU

126. CHRIS-NWAIJE ADANNA GRACE

127. CHUKWU AGATHA EBERE

128. CHUKWU GODWIN CHIKAMSO

129. CHUKWUEKWU PRECIOUS

130. CHUKWUMA NNABUIHE GODFREY

131. DACHEN NANKYER JOSHUA

132. DADA ADEYEMI AMOS

133. DAHUWA AMINA SALIHU

134. DALHAT SUMAYYA

135. DANJUMA CHRISANTUS KWAPRIEP

136. DANRAKA SARATU NUHU

137. DASSAH MANKO

138. DATONG PRECIOUS GIDEON

139. DAUDA KABIRU AYINDE

140. DAUJI GIMBA MONDAY

141. DAVOU MANCHA VICTOR

142. DAYO-ADELUSI OLAJUMOKE COMFORT

143. DEDAN DAVID YILAH

144. DIBIA CHIDIOGO JANE

145. DUROTOYE MICHAEL OLUWASEUN

146. DURU PETER PAULINUS

147. DYOKOS PANRET GEOFFREY

148. EBERECHUKWU IFUNANYA PERPETUA

149. EBIDAME ONYINYE VICTORY

150. EBOIGBE MILDRED UKAMAKA

151. EDEH GIFT ONYINYECHI

152. EDEH MISHEAL CHINWENDU

153. EDHERAKA OGHENETEJIRI

154. EDIAE NDIDI CHRISTY

155. EDO SYLVANUS

156. EDONMI TOBI JINATHAN

157. EFAJEMUE CHINENYE RITA

158. EFU ENOKELA EDMOND

159. EFUNNIYI DARE

160. EGEJURU OBINNA GEORGE

161. EGENTI ADAEZE ELIZABETH

162. EGWUNYENGA IJEOMA

163. EHIZOGIE ODION UREBHOR

164. EHIZOJIE AFORKE ANN

165. EJEMBI RHODA ONYAMA

166. EJEZIE EZINNE CHIEMELUM

167. EJIMCHUKWU IFEANYI MOSES

168. EKANEM CHRISTIANA DOMINIC

169. EKE EMMANUELLA CHIBUOGWU

170. EKE KENNETH EJIKEME

171. EKEDAYEN FRANCISCA

172. EKERE JOY EDUGWU

173. EKPENYONG ANIEKAN MICHAEL

174. EKPENYONG TEETE EFFIONG

175. EKWEALOR PERPETUAL ANULIKA

176. EKWEREMADU NNENNA ESTHER

177. EKWONNA LINDA CHIOMA

178. ELAIGWU VINCENT UGBEDE

179. ELENWO ONYINYECHI MIRACLE

180. EMAYOMA ANNA AKPEVWE

181. EMECHETA OGOCHUKWU VICTORIA

182. EMEDIONG KIFIOKABASI EMMANUEL

183. EMEMAH IKECHUKWU

184. EMENIKE CHARLES CHIBUISI

185. EMENYONU CHIMEREM NKEMDI

186. EMMANUEL JOHN YUSUF

187. EMMANUEL PEACE CHUKWUZURUM

188. ENABULELE SAMUEL OSAMUDIAMEN

189. ENADEBA AISAGBON SANUEL

190. ENAOHWO UFUOMA ELIZABETH

191. ENEGIDE IKECHUKWU

192. ENETE IZUCHUKWU CHARLES

193. ENHIENHENAN ADOGHE IKEZAHU

194. ERHABOR MAYFAIR AVUEROSUO

195. ERUA CHINENYENWA NNENNA

196. ESAN OLUWATOSIN ODUNAYO

197. ESIEBOMA OGHENEROB-O JOY

198. ESSIEN DANIEL GODWIN

199. ESU NSIKAN OKON

200. ESUMEI DORCAS OLUCHI

201. ETA RUTH

202. ETI JOY ODIRI

203. ETUKAKPAN EDIDIONG EZEKIEL

204. EZE JACINTA UKAMAKA

205. EZE JULIET UKAMAKA

206. EZE LEONARD NNAEMEKA

207. EZE LUCY OGOCHUKWU

208. EZE SABASTINE CHINONSO

209. EZE SOLOMON ONYEBUCHI

210. EZEAMAKU NNAEMEKA MICHAEL

211. EZEKIEL MMENYENE ROBSON

212. EZEKIEL STEPHEN

213. EZENNAYA CHUKWUJEKWU ANTHONY

214. EZENNIA UGONNIA UGOCHUKWU

215. EZIASHI CHINEDU EMMANUEL

216. FADEYI OMOTAYO FOLUKE

217. FAKOLADE OLUWAREMILEKUN OLUWADAMILOLA

218. FAMUYIWA ADEMAYOWA LABAKE

219. FASEYI BIOLA EMMANUEL

220. FATOYINBO OLUKUNLE JOEL

221. GARBA BASHIR

222. GAYA BILQIS KHALID

223. GBADAMOSI AISHA IYABO

224. GBENGA-AJOSE BUSAYO

225. GIMBA FATIMA YAU

226. GIWA FUNMILAYO MARIAM

227. GODWIN ELDER

228. GONDYI NENBAM

229. HAASTRUP JULIUS SIMILOLUWA

230. HALILU AHMED

231. HARUNA BASHIR

232. HARUNA FIRDAUSI

233. HARUNA MURJA MASANAWA

234. HEADMAN GODGIFT BENEIBEYE

235. HUSSAIN HAUWA

236. IBEH GERALD CHIGOZIE

237. IBRAHIM AISHAT

238. IBRAHIM HAMZA BOYI

239. IBRAHIM KHADIJA DAMILOIA

240. IBRAHIM MOHAMMED BABA

241. IBUDE BLESSING OGECHUKWU

242. IDEMOBI KINGSLEY ONYEKA

243. IDOKO EMMANUEL UDEH

244. IDOKO SAMSON JOHN

245. IDRISU MARIAM RAYANATU

246. IFIORA IKENNA BRENDAN

247. IGBINOVIA KELVIN IZIENGBE

248. IGHOYIVWI JOY

249. IGORU SAMUEL NYERHORWO

250. IGWENATU NDUKA KINGSLEY

251. IHEJIRIKA IFEOMA LINDA

252. IJEOMA INNOCENT NNAMDI

253. IKEANI CHINENYE CYNTHIA

254. ILAYA SONIA AVWEROSUO

255. ILONDU CHINENYE AMARA

256. IMA-OSAGIE OSATOHANMWEN CYNTHIA

257. IMIERE EFEMENA BUKKY

258. INNOCENT VINCO

259. INOO MAUREEN ENE

260. IPINNIWA ENIOLA FOLASHADE

261. IREOHA CHIOMA CHRISTIANA

262. ISIBOR JOHNSON ISOJA N.

263. ISIWU KINGSLEY IFEANYI

264. IYARE WILSON FREDRICK

265. IYONU LUCKY OKIEREMUTE

266. IZEZE ELOHOR

267. IZOMOH OVIE JANE

268. JAJA MYSTERY CHRISTIAN

269. JAMES GLORY

270. JIBRIL AMINU

271. JILANG FOTSHAK ABEDNEGO

272. JIMMY ITOHOWO G.

273. JOHN BLESSING DINCHI

274. JOSEPH SUNDAY

275. KABIR ABUBAKAR INGAWA

276. KARIMATU HAMZA

277. KASIM BADAMASI MANSIR

278. KELEBIA DENNIS OTTO GLORY

279. KEMA COMFORT OTUOMASIRICHI

280. KEREWI PRECIOUS MEVILO

281. KESHINRO JOSEPH OLASUPO

282. KIKIOWO BOLAJOKO OMODUNNI

283. KOFOWOROLA NURUDEEN

284. KONYEHA LAURA EFENWONGBE

285. KOREOSO TOLUWALOPE PRECIOUS

286. KOYI OMOWUNMI OMOTAYO

287. KUKANG QUEEN KABOLOBARI

288. KUNDIL AISHA

289. KYANTIKI AMESINDE ADAMU

290. LADOKUN MARIAM WURAOLA

291. LASAKI QAYYUMAT OPEYEMI

292. LAWAL ABDULHAMID USMAN

293. LAWAL GIDADO PENUEL

294. LAWAL IBRAHIM

295. LAWAL MUSA ADISA

296. LAWAL RASAQ ADEKUNLE

297. LAWAL TEMITOPE KAFAYAT

298. LEKIE PATRICIA BEALO

299. LONGMEN HOMSUK HERBERT

300. MADAKI ENDURANCE VICTOR

301. MADUABUCHI CHRISTIAN CHUKWUDI

302. MALLAM LIMAN AMINU

303. MANGNI MOSES MANKA

304. MANI USENI

305. MAPIS PALANG DANIEL

306. MATTHEW MERCY CHENEMI

307. MBAH CHIAMAKA BLESSING

308. MBANISI CHINENYE CYNTHIA

309. MICAH EBENA

310. MICHAEL VINCENT AKUNAMOH

311. MIRI GODWIN NANKPAH

312. MODUGU ABIGAIL AHMANOSI

313. MOHAMMAD BUHARI JIBRIL

314. MOHAMMED FAHAD

315. MOHAMMED FAISAL UMAR

316. MOHAMMED NURAT EYITAYO

317. MOLTA MAIKANO TOGOR

318. MONDAY ANIEKAN NKEREKE

319. MORKA JEREMIAH

320. MOSES EMMANUEL

321. MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR HASSAN

322. MUHAMMAD AUWAL USMAN

323. MUHAMMED SHUAIBU

324. MUIBI OLUWAFUNMI-LOLA RASHIDAT

325. MUOGHALU VICTORY OBINNA

326. MUSA ALIYU GARBA

327. MUSA MUKHTAR

328. MUSA MUSA GARBA

329. MUSA SADIKU

330. MUSA SAIDU

331. NASIR IBRAHIM

332. NASIRU SIDIKAT FOLASHADE

333. NASIRU USMAN ISAH

334. NDAM MERCY TANKO

335. NDIGWE CHUKWUDUMEBI DONALD

336. NDUBUISI EMMANUEL

337. NDUDIM-UMEH CHIDINMA IJEOMA

338. NGBEKEN BRIGHT

339. NGELE CONSTANCE NNEKA

340. NICHOL OLUWATOSIN SEUN

341. NJOKU STEPHEN CHIKAODIRI

342. NKANTA ODUDU CLEMENT

343. NNATU CHIJIOKE MICHAEL

344. NNAWUBA CHINONSO GEORGE

345. NOME HANNAH OKWUCHUKWU

346. NOSA OSATARE

347. NSOHA ISAAC NEWTON

348. NWABUDIKE OBIAJULU HILDA

349. NWABUEZE NNEKA CHUKWUDUMEBI .A.

350. NWABUZOR BARRY UCHENNA

351. NWACHUKWU ANGEL AKUABATA

352. NWACHUKWU CONFIDENCE C.

353. NWACHUKWU DUMEBI DANIEL

354. NWACHUKWU TITUS AZUKA

355. NWACHUKWU UCHENNA PRINCE

356. NWACHUKWU VICTOR OGOCHUKWU

357. NWADIUGWU WISON PETER

358. NWAEZE FRANCIS

359. NWAGBA CHISOM CHIMKA

360. NWAJAGU UYOYOU

361. NWALA MERCY EBERE

362. NWANEKI BENEDICT NONSO

363. NWANKPA CHIDINMA AMANDA

364. NWANNA PROMISE

365. NWANYA COLLINS CHIBUIKE

366. NWAOZUZU IJEAKU MARYLENE

367. NWEKWO CHIKODI EVELYN

368. NWOKEDI HENRY ECHEZONA

369. NWOKEJI CONSTANCE OKWUCHI

370. NWOKEOCHA BLESSING CHINAZOM

371. NWOYE OBIOMA VIRGINIA

372. NWUFO CHINONSO EMMANUELLA

373. NYAM NABIEM CATHERINE

374. NYAMS DAVID SAMUEL

375. NZENWA CHIDERA PATRICIA

376. OAIKHENA VICTORIA EFE

377. OBEGOR CALEB O

378. OBETTA OBIANUJU FRANCISCA

379. OBI HENRIETTA IFEYINWA

380. OBIAKOR LOVELYN CHIAMAKA

381. OBIEKEZIE C. DONCOLINS

382. OBIEKEZIE CHIELOKA DONCOLLINS

383. OBIORAH JOSEPH TOBENNA

384. OBIRI VICTORY ONYEKACHUKWU

385. OBIUDOH IKECHUKWU CHARLES

386. OBOT BLESSING HENRY

387. OBUZOR CYNTHIA UDOKA

388. OCHEIDO BLESSING MARY

389. ODEKINA BLESSING OJOMA

390. ODEYINKA INIDUWA DANIELLA

391. ODEYINKA INIOLUWA DANIELLA

392. ODIASE IFEOMA LYDIA

393. ODO KENNETH ONYEBUCHI

394. ODOH EMMANUEL

395. ODUMADE ADEDUNNI SEYI

396. OFFONRY NDIDI CHINONYEREM

397. OFIYESINKA GODSPOWER EBIKEEYEN

398. OGBEIN LAURETTA UKACHUKWU

399. OGBEMUDIA OBARO ANITA

400. OGBOMO IKPONMWOSA EGERTON

401. OGBONNA GIDEON CHUKWUEMEKA

402. OGBONNIA TOSIN NNEKA

403. OGIDIAGBA OBAROENE

404. OGITIE ERHOVWO MARKSON

405. OGUNDELE FOLUKE OLADAYO

406. OGUNDEYI MONILOLA OLUFUNKE

407. OGUNGBEMI KAYODE OLUWOLE

408. OGUNYEMI MOJISOLA ABIODUN

409. OHANEJE CHIDOZIE HENRY

410. OHENHEN STEPHEN BLESSED S.

411. OHWORIEHA JOSHUA VIANO

412. OIGIANGBE RANDY AKOMUIYEN

413. OJAPINWA OLUWASEUN BUKOLA

414. OJIEH NGOZICHUKWUKA MARY

415. OJO OLUWADAMILOLA FAITH

416. OJU ESEOGHENE

417. OKAFOR ABUCHI CHUKWUELOKA

418. OKAFOR CHIOMA SYLVIA

419. OKAFOR EMMANUEL OGOCHUKWU

420. OKENYEHIKE EBERE MERCY

421. OKITA MARVELOUS AGBA

422. OKOBIA EWERE KINGSLEY

423. OKOKOH RAYMOND ENWEH

424. OKOLI EMMANUEL CHINEDU

425. OKOLI TOBENNA

426. OKOLO CHISOM VIVIAN

427. OKON FREDRICK EDEM

428. OKONKWO BRIDGET CHIKA

429. OKONKWO CHIBUEZE

430. OKONKWO CHINONSO GODFREY

431. OKORE CHISOM FLORA

432. OKORIE EUSEBIUS CHINEDU

433. OKORO ANYANELECHI EME

434. OKORO IJEOMA JOHN

435. OKORO UGOCHI IHUOMA

436. OKOYA FUNMBI TOPUNMI

437. OKOYE ONYINYECHUKWU DEBORAH

438. OKOYE-EZEBILO CHINWE MABEL

439. OKOYEUKWU CHISOM PAULA

440. OKPALA TRACY CHINELO

441. OKUZULU AMUCHE ANGELA

442. OKWELOGU CHUKWUDI

443. OKWUDINMA YOCHUKWU MARTINA

444. OKWUMUO BASIL MOSES

445. OKWUNNA MUNACHIM NGOZI

446. OLADAPO FEYISEPE TONYE

447. OLADEHINDE OLUWASEGUN ABIOLA

448. OLADEJO JOHN OLAOLUWA

449. OLADUNNI AMOS ABIMBOLA

450. OLAJIDE ABASS ARISEKOLA

451. OLALUSI FOLORUNSO JULIUS

452. OLAN NURA MUHAMMAD

453. OLANIYAN WALIYAT EKUNDAYO

454. OLA-OLU OLUWATOFUNMI SERAH

455. OLAOYE TOSIN LYDIA

456. OLASINDE OLAWUMI HANIFAT

457. OLIVER TALI MESBAPI

458. OLOKO OMODUNNI ADEJOKE

459. OLOWOLAFE OLUWATAYO BENEDICT

460. OLU PRAISE TOLULOPE

461. OLUFEMI IYINOLUWA OMOBOLANLE

462. OLUWAFEMI ALEX GEOFFERY

463. OMEH EBUKA OLIVER

464. OMEJE MAUREEN CHINELO

465. OMEROLE IZUCHUKWU DARLINGTON

466. OMOGIAFO ASABEY MEMUNAT

467. OMOGOR PHILIP AGHOGHO

468. OMOKARO OSAYANDE WELLINGTON

469. OMOKE UGOCHI ENDERLYN

470. OMONIYI DAMILOLA SOLOMON

471. OMUGHELE IKUESIRI

472. ONADERU DAMOLA OLUWADAMILARE

473. ONAH CHARLES OGBONNA

474. ONASANYA ISAIAH OWALABI

475. ONI SAMUEL

476. ONOGWU LAWRENCE DAVID

477. ONOVAE OCHUKO

478. ONOWOTU GIDEON OKIEHOR

479. ONU SAMUEL

480. ONUOHA AMARACHI LILIAN

481. ONUOHA JENNIFER CHIAMAKA

482. ONUOHA MARY ADAEZE

483. ONWUKA PHYLLIS ADA

484. ONWUNDUBA AUGUSTINE EKENE

485. ONYEKWERE ADAEZE PRECIOUS

486. ONYENEKE URENNA SOMTOCHUKWU

487. ORHIRE VIVIAN ELOHOR

488. ORIAKU CHISOM MARY-ANN

489. ORIMOLOY“E MOYOSORE OLUSEYI

490. ORJI UGONNA GIDEON

491. OROVWOTU ENDURANCE OGHENEVWEGBA

492. ORUNA UGOCHUKWU EVELYN

493. OSAKA CHIKE RODERICK

494. OSAYANDE ITOHAN MARVIS

495. OSEMENAM IFEANYI HENRY

496. OSOBA OLAPEJU FOLASAYO

497. OSUEBI CHIAMAKA MARY

498. OTHOBOR KELLY

499. OTOAKHIA OSIGBEME DAVID

500. OTOKUMOR OGHENEKOME

501. OTOKWEFOR RHODA

502. OTUEKERE GODFREY CHIMAKPAM

503. OWOICHO CHRISTIAN ADOLE

504. OWOLABI MAYOWA SOLOMON

505. OWOLABI TOLULOPE ADEROMOLA

506. OYEBODE MARIAM OYEBOLA

507. OYEGBILE OLAOTAN MARY

508. OYEKANMI OLUWABIYI MICHAEL

509. OYENIRAN OLAJIRE JACOB

510. OYENIRAN TOMILOLA ELIZABETH

511. OYETORO OMODASOLA SAUDAT

512. OZIOKO JUDE CHUKWUEBUKA

513. PAUL THEOPHILUS DOGO

514. PEKUK NANKWAT BULUS

515. PEPPLE ANGELINAH RICHARD

516. PETER NDIANA-ABASI SUNDAY

517. POPOOLA ELIZABETH AYODELE

518. POPOOLA SIKIRULLAHI OLAYIWOLA

519. RAJE OMOARETE LAURYN

520. RAJI HAFSAH

521. RAJI NURUDEEN OYEWALE

522. REUBEN BULUS BABA

523. ROTIMI TIMOTHY OLUWASEUN

524. SAGBODE OGAGA ANDREW

525. SAGIR SAEED BINDAWA

526. SAKA MORENIKEJI LATEEFAH

527. SAKA OBO SAMUEL

528. SAKA OLUWAFUNKE EMMANUELLA

529. SALAMI ADEWALE ABIODUN

530. SALAMI OYIZA ELIZABETH

531. SALEH ABBAS

532. SALEH MUSA

533. SALISU FATIMAH AUWAL

534. SALISU USMAN WADA

535. SAM-OZINI PEREZIDEL AYIBALAYEFA

536. SAMUEL VICTORIA MELE

537. SANI SAADATU

538. SANI SADAM

539. SANI SANUSI

540. SANUSI OLUWATOBI MUINAT

541. SANYAOLU OLUSEYI OLUWAMAYOKUN

542. SERIKI ADEOLA ZAYNAB

543. SHITTU MUHAMMED TAJUDEEN

544. SIMON EMMANUEL UFOT

545. SODEINDE OLUWASEUN AYOMIDE

546. SODIQ OMOLOLA

547. SOROGHAYE FAITH DENYEFA

548. SULAIMAN ADAM YUSUF

549. SULE ZAKARIYYA

550. SULEIMAN DANIEL ENESI

551. TAIWO TEMITOPE PHILIP

552. TALABI OLUBUKONLA TITILOPE

553. TALABI TIMILEHIN BOLUWATIFE

554. TARUAYEN DANIEL

555. UBA RABIU AHMAD

556. UBANGIDA SALIHU M. SANUSI

557. UBIEBI OGHENEYOREME

558. UCHENDU CHRISTIANA OGOCHUKWU

559. UCHE-OKONKWO ADANNA CHIDERA

560. UDENDU ALEX EKENE

561. UDENNA PERPETUA ADANMA

562. UDEOJI NDIDIAMAKA SYLVIA

563. UDO UNWAM-ABASI CELSUS

564. UDOAKA OFON GOODNESS

565. UDODOK IDARA NSESE

566. UDOH UDUAKABASI AUGUSTINE

567. UGBARUGBA CHINWENDU ONORIODE

568. UGOCHUKWU ONYEDIKACHI AZUNNA

569. UGOLO OGHOGHO DESTINED

570. UGWU EMILIA CHIOMA

571. UKAOZOR IRENE ONYINYECHI

572. UKPAI VINCENT EZE

573. UKPAKA KYRIAN-CASEY NNADOZIE

574. UKPE AUGUSTINE EJIME

575. UMANYI CYPRIAN FRIDAY

576. UMAR MUSTAPHA SAID

577. UMAR RAMATU ABDULLAHI

578. UMAR SAFIYA

579. UMEH CHUKWUEBUKA GODSON

580. UMOEYOP ROBINSON GABRIEL

581. UPU MSURSHIMA OLUWATOBI

582. USMAN HALIMA SAMBO

583. USUEMERAI PRECIOUS AZINO

584. UTEBOR CHINYERE

585. UWADIA CHRISTOPHER MATTHEW

586. UWAEZUOKE CHIDIEBERE ESTHER

587. UWAKWE, OBIAGELI AGATHA

588. UZOEZIE CHIMBUOYIM FRANLIN

589. WACHAP SOMTIRIMAM

590. WARE SAMUEL

591. WETPIN RENGSHAK ASMOS

592. WILLIAMS MERCY BOSE

593. YAU SAIFULLAHI

594. YAHAYA IBRAHIM ADAM

595. YAKUBU IZANG

596. YAKUBU JIBRIL ASHUKU

597. YAKUBU QASSIM AHMED

598. YAYA MUNTAKA AHMED

599. YOUNG OGECHUKWU SPECIAL

600. YOUSUO GABRIEL EREPADO

601. YUNUSA AYUBA NDA

602. YUSUF ABDULMUJIB

603. YUSUF EJIKA GIDEON

604. YUSUF HAMISU SANI

605. YUSUF RASHEEDA SANUSI

606. ZUBAIRU DALHATU

FAILED LIST
The list below contains the exam numbers of those that didnt pass the pre-registration examination

1. 18110013

2. 18170005

3. 18170006

4. 18120002

5. 18110028

6. 18110004

7. 18140025

8. 18190002

9. 18140024

10. 18070007

11. 18170010

12. 18140010

13. 18140021

14. 18170015

15. 18140022

16. 18140012

17. 18170021

18. 18030022

19. 18030012

20. 18170022

21. 18190021

22. 18110034

23. 18050021

24. 18190050

25. 18140002

26. 18050028

27. 18030051

28. 18140004

29. 18190050

30. 18190007

31. 18060023

32. 18170029

33. 18140007

34. 18070050

35. 18170030

36. 18040019

37. 18120008

38. 18140005

39. 18110009

40. 18080012

41. 18140023

42. 18030062

43. 18190014

44. 18080004

45. 18170036

46. 18170002

47. 18170001

48. 18090021

49. 18140008

50. 18120001

51. 18020050

52. 18080005

53. 18190037

54. 18170041

SIGNED:
Pharm. N.A.E. Mohammed, FPSN, FPCPharm, FNAPharm,FNIM
Registrar

Source: Punch Newspaper

The post Results of March 2018 Pre-registration examination for pharmacists (PEP) appeared first on Swank Pharm.

”I accidentally met over 200 young male and female medical doctors, including consultants in Hawthorn Hotel, Abuja being interviewed by some Saudi Arabian officials to be employed to work in Saudi Arabia.

”At first, I thought it was a conference taking place in the hotel where I visited a guest. I saw an Arab gentleman addressing a mammoth crowd at the lobby of the hotel asking them loudly to ‘go and come tomorrow’.

”I curiously asked a lady who appeared dejected and was waiting with a file in her hand what was happening?

”The lady told me that they were all medical doctors, who were in the hotel since 7.00 a.m. for an interview for employment and that over 100 ‘had been successful’.

”The rest were told to come tomorrow for the continuation of the interview…”

This is the narration of Shehu Liberty, a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri who on January 31, wrote an open letter on his Facebook wall to President Muhammadu Buhari, pleading with him to make an effort to halt the ‘mass exodus’ of qualified doctors out of the country.

Mr Liberty said the doctors seemed to have made up their minds to leave the country in spite his “attempt to persuade them.”

“I cannot believe what I saw today. What is really wrong with the health sector in Nigeria that warrants qualified doctors to abandon the country to work in Saudi Arabia? Why can’t the various governments at all levels employ them? I am certain that their services are needed in most rural communities in Nigeria?” he said.

There has been a reported massive brain drain in the medical sector in recent years as many medical doctors are leaving the country on daily basis.

Nigerian doctors have been migrating to U.S, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the UK and many other nations across the globe, investigations reveal.

Relevant medical agencies in Nigeria could not provide official data on emigrant doctors, but statistics from General Medical Council (GMC) UK, as at July 2017 shows that over 4,765 Nigerian doctors are working in the UK. This is 1.7 per cent of the total of the UK’s medical workforce.

This trend has been having negative effects on Nigeria’s health sector. As a result of this, experts say, Nigeria is experiencing a shortage of doctors in most of its hospitals.

Also, experts say the ratio of medical practitioners to patients in the country is very low. Official records reveal that Nigeria currently has one doctor to attend to 3, 500 patients in the country, which is a far cry to the WHO recommendation of one doctor to 600 patients.

EMIGRANT DOCTORS GIVE REASONS FOR LEAVING

A Nigerian doctor working in the UK, Ayokunle Michael, said the situation of doctors migrating from the country is not ”yet bad, but will soon get worse”.

He said with the UK opening its borders to commonwealth countries, and many Nigerian doctors having information about the working condition and welfare package there, many are still bound to move.

“Nigeria should brace itself to losing more of its doctors, most of the people going to Saudi Arabia are just using that as a stepping stone. Majority aim to enter U.S, UK, Australia, Canada and other European countries with better job opportunities.”

Mr Michael explained that the Nigerian working environment is getting more hostile to doctors.

“I left the country almost six years. Before I left, I was struggling to get a good job in spite spending almost nine years in school without failing. I left when it was becoming frustrating and the opportunity presented itself. Some colleagues took the opportunity, while some decided to stay back. Some of those who stayed back are also leaving, the situation is getting worse,” he explained.

He said many of his colleagues inducted into the practice in 2010 are yet to find stable jobs.

Mr Michael also lamented that medical examinations are getting more expensive in Nigeria.

”The amount paid to do the primaries at the National Postgraduate College of Nigeria or The West African Postgraduate College is getting more expensive. The ‘high dollar rate’ has not also been helping matters,” he said.

According to him, ”it is far better to spend less in writing the PLAB (UK examination) which guarantees a better future if the person passes than spending such huge sums on examination that might end up useless”.

Source: Premium Time

The post SPECIAL REPORT: Anxiety as Nigerian doctors leave country in droves appeared first on Swank Pharm.

e United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has calle.d on the Nigerian government to arrest the increasingly widespread use of pharmaceutical drugs among the country’s youths. The call was made in a memorandum sent to the National Assembly. Dated 26 March. The memo said available evidence shows that Tramadol and Codeine are the most abused pharmaceutical substances.

According to the UNODC, reported cases and anecdotal evidence indicate a steady rise in the non-medical use of pharmaceutical preparations among Nigerian youths. The full range of the problem is not yet known because there is yet no statistical data on the trend.

The UNODC disclosed that along with the Federal Ministry of Health and other national partners it conducted a National Drug Use Survey between 2016 and 2017 to establish by evidence what the actual situation of drug use in the country is. The report of the survey, funded by the European Union (EU), will be released before the end of this year.

“The result of the National Drug Use Survey will assist policymakers in identifying which drugs are used, the geography of use and the prevalence of drug use. With this evidence, policymakers will be better able to make informed and targeted interventions to address issues identified by the study,” said the UNODC.

It explained that reports from drug regulatory agencies and media indicate that Codeine and Tramadol are the most abused substances. Quoting the Nigerian Epidemiological Network on Drug Use (NENDU) of the patients who entered treatment for opioid use, UNODC said 69% were using Tramadol and 21% were using Codeine.

“These drugs are reported to be abused for their narcotic effects and among the so-called ‘legal highs’, as they are still legally authorized for the medical use in Nigeria. These two drugs are also not under the international control, which is monitored by the International Narcotics Control Board,” said UNODC.

It added that this is supported by evidence of significant seizures of Tramadol at seaports and warehouses by drug control agencies as well as by similar agencies in Ghana and Niger.
It noted the the Nigerian government has expressed concerns over the abuse of codeine and tramadol, including at the Senate Roundtable on Drug Abuse in December 2017, in Kano.

The  UNODC, however, advised the Nigerian government that despite concerns about abuse, it should consider medical needs like clinical pain treatment requirements of Nigerians. These, explained the UNODC, include cancer-related pains and non-cancer related pains such as osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia.

According to available data, added UNODC, there is an undersupply of pain medication to the country.

“Therefore, there is a need to strike a balance between government policy providing for adequate access to pain medication and stricter controls of pain medication including codeine and Tramadol,” advised the UNODC.

It urged the Nigerian government to carry out a cost-benefit analysis before stiffening controls on licit pain medications being diverted and used for non-medical purposes.                    Such an analysis, it explained, must consider persons requiring access to pain medication, availability of alternative pain medication of the same classification, cost of the available alternative pain medication and the possibility of misuse the available alternative.

In addition, the analysis should consider the potential of creating underground markets if legitimate access to pain medication is denied and the related organized crime that may result to feed such underground markets; scientific quantification and estimates of the pain medication requirements of the country; adequacy of the current regulations for the monitoring and control of the distribution of pain medication; as well as adequacy of the resourcing and funding of regulatory agencies to carry out routine and non-routine inspection and monitoring of legitimate distribution chains and outlets of pain medication.

UNODC stated that the country already a robust legal framework for the control of pharmaceutical narcotic drugs through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act, which created the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and defines its mandates.

The mandates  include to “undertake measures to ensure the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are limited to medical and scientific purposes” and “collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in measures to eradicate drug abuse in Nigeria”, provisions that empower NAFDAC to ensure the use of pharmaceutical narcotics solely for medical purposes.

The UNODC also noted that the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act provides for the prohibition of the display and sale of drugs in unlicensed places, establishment of a Federal Task Force, chaired by NAFDAC, to coordinate the activities of State Task Forces in implementing its provisions and establishment of State Task Forces to among other things inspect premises where drugs are sold, inspect registers for the purposes of monitoring legitimate distributions of drugs and minimizing diversion of drugs.

The Act equally provides for the establishment of a specialized Police Force Squad to assist the Federal Task Force in the enforcement of its provisions.

“These provisions clearly set out the required legislative and institutional frameworks to address the challenges of the diversion of pharmaceutical narcotics to non-medical uses. The only challenge seems to be in the implementation of these provisions,” said UNODC.

As part of its recommendations, the UNODC said the Nigerian government should gather data on drug-use disorders’ prevalence and the accessibility and utilization of treatment; invest in ensuring treatment and rehabilitation are evidence-based; and allocate sufficient resources to treatment and rehabilitation, the two crucial components of demand reduction.
It equally recommended that the government should pay particular attention to special population groups, share nationally and internationally best practices and build capacity as well as stimulate research into new interventions.

The UNODC also recommended that the Nigerian government should use the results of the National Drug Use Survey when released, as evidence to drive its policymaking; make available adequate resources to the drug regulatory authorities, provide adequate legislative oversight over drug regulatory authorities and encourage the drug regulatory authorities to make regulations requiring all manufacturers and marketers of pharmaceutical narcotics to print labels warning users of the addictive nature and other medical side effects of the drugs.

“These messages should be field- tested to ensure that they effectively communicate the required message,” said UNODC.

It equally recommended that the Nigerian government should promote a nationwide campaign to sensitize the general public and vulnerable segment to the effect of non-medical use of pharmaceutical narcotics, including the possible inclusion of this in school health science curricula.

It suggested that the sensitization messages must be developed using tested messages specifically targeted at parents, teachers and healthcare professionals who serve as role models.

Source: Sahara Reporters

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Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI) an NGO, has urged National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to intensify campaign against drug abuse in the country.

Its President, Mr Ameh Zion, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.

He said many Nigerians were ignorant of the effect of hard drugs to their health and that trafficking, distributing or consuming illicit drugs constitute an offence.

Zion added that though NDLEA had been championing campaigns against drug and substance abuse, it needed to do more.

He said “I want to challenge NDLEA to step up campaigns to enable citizens to make informed decisions when it comes to issues relating to drugs.

“How many Nigerians know the consequences of peddling drugs or substances?.

“People should be educated about punishments that await them if caught selling or buying drugs and substances like cocaine, marijuana, among others.”

The NGO boss explained that though there were laws guiding the use and sale of hard drugs and substances in the country, the degree of punishment for offences related to this varied.

Zion said educating citizens about those laws and the health effects of using drugs would help to address the increasing number of Nigerians smuggling or abusing drugs in the country.

He added that enlightenment would also help to address cases of citizens being arrested or killed abroad due to drug peddling.

Source: The Guardian

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Dr. Abdulmumini Kabiru Usman, the Emir of Katsina, on Saturday, decried the spate of rape cases in the state and called for the collaboration of community leaders and eminent personalities in the state to curb the menace.

The monarch also frowned at the increasing surge in use of dangerous and hard drugs and peddling amongst youths in the state.

He hinted this during the turbanning ceremony of Hon. Abubakar Yahaya Kusada, Speaker of the state Assembly as Garkuwan-Katsina, and other illustrious sons of the state.

According to the Emir, “the issue of rape has become a major problem in the state. This thing happen everyday and police cannot be everywhere.

“This is where the role of eminent personalities comes in. You have to take this message to the people, enlighten them and educate them on the inherent dangers of the menace”.

Dr. Usman, urged parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children in the state and desist from sending them on errands at odd hours.

“As parents, we have to monitor the movement of our children because they are vulnerable and can be easily deceived by some unscrupulous elements who may want to take advantage of them and dehumanise them, especially the young girls”, the Emir added.

Dr. Usman, however, applauded security agencies for bringing down the wave of crime in the state, urging them to put in more efforts in order to avert the threat in the state.

Source: Independent Newspaper

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A cholera outbreak in Gashua, Yobe State, has claimed 13 lives out of 160 cases reported in the last six days, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

A source at the Gashua General Hospital told NAN that five deaths were initially recorded while eight lives were later lost to the disease.

The source said that the victims were brought in from Sabon Gari, Katuzu, Zango, Lawan Musa and Sarkin Hausawa, which were among the areas worst affected by the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the state government has despatched a Rapid Response Team to contain the outbreak and spread of the disease.

The General Manager, Yobe Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Alhaji Mohammed Bukar,  confirmed that the response team had embarked on chlorinating water reservoirs and disinfecting toilet facilities in the area.

He said aqua tablets were also distributed to households while promotion of personal hygiene had been intensified to curtail the spread of the disease.

Bukar attributed the outbreak to poor hygiene, adding “we collected water samples from various sources, and using the bacteriological test kit, we discovered some private boreholes with contaminated water.”

He said shallow boreholes managed by private individuals were prone to contamination.

“There is the need to pass the water law in good time to check the excesses of some private borehole operators who abuse due process and put the lives of the people at risk,” the general manager said.

According to Bukar, water samples from five boreholes in Gashua which tested positive had been shut down while more samples had been taken for advance laboratory analysis.

He said communities in neighbouring Karasuwa and Yusufari Local Government Areas had been disinfected and provided with aqua tablets to check possible spread.

Similarly, the Senate Leader, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has provided fluids and drugs to the Gashua General Hospital for the treatment of victims.

Alhaji Habu Kaku, aide to the leader of the Senate, told NAN that the donation of the drugs and fluids was to complement government efforts in the treatment of the victims.

“This is a first phase intervention to arrest the unexpected outbreak and to compliment the efforts of the state government in curtailing the disease,” Kaku said.

Source: Punch

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Sequel to their tour of three northern states tertiary hospitals, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) has urged the management of Usmanu Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital, UDUTH, Sokoto; Federal Medical Centre, Gusau; and the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, to upgrade their facilities and practices to enhance efficient service delivery to their populace.

The AHAPN NEC, which held its council meeting at the Sultan Mohammadu Maccido Institute of Quranic and General Studies Auditorium, Sokoto recently, seized the opportunity to make courtesy visits to some dignitaries in the area, as well as inspected the conditions of some tertiary hospitals in the northern part of the country.

The National Chairman of AHAPN, Pharm. Martins Oyewole identified some inadequacies in the operations at the Usmanu Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital UDUTH, Sokoto, which ranges from shortage of pharmacists, absence of a purpose built pharmacy department, and limited alternative care centres in the state.

Although he earlier commended the Medical Director of the hospital for the quality healthcareservices rendered by the teaching hospital to the teeming population of Sokoto and environs, he however lamented the shortcomings of the institution in meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) standards, expected of a leading teaching hospital like UDUTH.

He further acknowledged that there are not many alternatives for tertiary care in Sokoto axis; hence the need for adequate staffing that would make way for effective and efficient service delivery.

Oyewole also decried the absence of a purpose built pharmacy department in the hospital, as it is practiced in other teaching hospitals, and advocated for restructuring of the pharmacy department, in line with Pharmacists Council of Nigeria requirement for a 1000 bedded hospital. He added that individualized patient care has become the order of the day in patient care all over the world, hence restructuring has become inevitable.

Speaking further, the AHAPN National Chairman informed the management team of UDUTH about the feat achieved by the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, in setting up a viable  Drug Revolving Fund (DRF), which is a sine qua non for continuous drug availability in hospitals.He thus encouraged the institution to borrow a leaf from Igbobi in setting up their own version of Drug Revolving Fund (DRF).

He also urged the management to upgrade the production unit of the hospital, so that drugs like antacids, methylated spirit, sodium hypochlorite and other similar products, can be produced regularly.This will ensure continuous availability of these products, while saving costs for the hospital.

In her response, the Acting Medical Director, UDUTH, represented by Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) Dr (Mrs) Constance O. Shehu, agreed that there are a lot of challenges facing the hospital, adding that she was at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) Maiduguri recently, where she saw the Pharmacy Department out lay. She said the management of the hospital was open to constructive criticism, and encouraged the association to keep coming to Sokoto State to hold their activities.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Sokoto, Pharm. Almustapha Othman Ali; displaying AHAPN NEC Award presented to him (Middle); as National Chairman, AHAPN, Pharm. Martins Oyewole (Left) and Hon. Commissioner for Health, Sokoto, Dr Shehu Kakele (Right) Look on

She challenged pharmacists and other healthcareproviders to render more functional healthcaredelivery to patients, because tomorrow, we (healthcare providers) may be at the receiving end as patients. She also urged pharmacists to put patients at the centre always, adding that” you don’t fight ignorance, you eradicate it”.

During the AHAPN NEC visit to Zamfara State, where they were received by the management of the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Gusau, the Medical Director of the centre Dr Kabiru Mohammed Anka, expressed his delight at the visit, acknowledging that this was the first of such visit since the creation of the state.

Oyewole thanked the medical director for the warm reception, and challenged the management to employ additional pharmacists in the state, so that the populace can benefit from the dividends of pharmaceutical care, which has become the order of the day in pharmacy practice worldwide.

He also informed the management of the hospital that Sokoto State will be hosting the National Conference of the Association come 2019, and urged Zamfara to team up with Kebbi and Sokoto states to ensure adequate representation at the conference.

During the NEC members round of the hospital conducted by the Head of Pharmacy Department, Pharm. (Mrs) Battle Hauwa, they observed that the Director of Pharmaceutical Services (DPS) Zamfara, Pharm. Isah Mohammed Gusau was the only pharmacist at the Ministry of Health, a situation Pharm. Oyewole decried as unacceptable. He challenged the DPS to give the needed leadership to Sokoto and Zamfara States.

The National Executive Committee also visited Kebbi State, and in particular, the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, in company of the AHAPN executives, Sokoto State Branch and Chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sokoto State, Pharm. Murtala Bello, who accompanied the NEC delegation all the way from Sokoto to Kebbi State.

One after the other, the members highlighted their challenges to NEC, including the issue of inadequate staffing. The National Chairman however took time to assuage the members, promising that NEC will look into the issues raised.

Led by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services of Kebbi State, Pharm. Ibrahim Maigandi, NEC members met with the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Kebbi State, Alhaji Umar Usman Kambaza, who welcomed the pharmacists warmly to the state. He noted that the visit was first of its kind by a high ranking pharmacy delegation from outside the state. The commissioner intimated them on the role of the state government in encouraging pharmacy practice in the state, which included going as far as paying salaries to pharmacy students of the state origin in the fourth year and beyond.

In his response, the National Chairman of AHAPN, Pharm. Martins Oyewole commended Alhaji Kambaza for their efforts at promoting pharmacy practice in the state, and challenged the state to employ additional pharmacists to man the various general hospitals in the state. He informed the commissioner that Sokoto State will be hosting AHAPN National Conference in 2019, and encouraged Kebbi and Zamfara states to team up with Sokoto State to ensure a successful conference.

The National Executive Committee led by DPS Sokoto State, Pharm Mohammed Hamisu, also visited the Commissioner for Health, Sokoto State, Dr Shehu Balarabe Kakele, who received the visitors warmly to Sokoto State. He noted also that this was the first of such visit by a high powered pharmacy delegation to Sokoto State, which he said was investors friendly.

Source: Pharma News

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The Executive Secretary of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has said that Nigeria is regarded as a polio endemic country due to lack of access in some local government.

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The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria – Young Pharmacists Group (PSN-YPG) congratulates the Senate President, HE. (Dr). Abubakar O. Saraki ,CON and the Entire membership of the 7^th Senate of Federal Republic on the Repeal of The Pharmacists Council Of Nigeria Act, Cap P17, Laws Of The Federation Of Nigeria, 2004 to Enact The Pharmacy Council Of Nigeria (Establishment, Etc) Act To  Regulate The Training And Practice Of Pharmacy And Related Matters.

In a press statement made available in Lagos, the National Chairman, Pharm. Ekomobong Hanson, also congratulates the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, HE Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, FPSN, FNIM, The Registrar of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharm. N.A.E. Mohammed FPSN on this historic achievements eighteen years since the last amendments.

The PCN Bill 2018 will further strengthen the Practice and regulation of Pharmacy in Nigeria, Increasing access to Pharmacists in rural and Hard to reach settings through Satellite pharmacy Concept, in line with the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) policy of the World Health Organization, He Said.

The PSN-YPG leadership is Hopeful that the Bill when assented into Law by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR,  Will improve Nigeria’s ailing Health Sector.

Source: Young Pharmacist Group

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Older women who report longer-term use of antibiotics show increases in all-cause mortality and notably higher rates of cardiovascular mortality compared with those with no antibiotic use, after adjustment for illness and other risk factors, new research suggests.

The study included 37,516 women aged 60 years and older who reported their antibiotic use in the Nurses’ Health Study from 2004 to 2012 and did not have heart disease or cancer at baseline.

After adjustment for traditional risk factors, researchers found that women who used antibiotics for 2 months or longer were 27% more likely to die of all causes and were as much as 57% more likely to die of cardiovascular causes compared with those with no antibiotic use.

“To the best of our knowledge, no prospective cohort study has clarified how the duration of antibiotic use in different phases of adulthood is related to all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a population at usual risk,” first author, Yoriko Heianza, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow with the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, told Medscape Medical News.

“Of note, many of the previous studies were conducted among patients with specific diseases, or with a limited follow-up period.”

The research was presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018.

Antibiotic use has been linked with changes to the gut microbiome that can in fact last for years, while infections from antibiotic resistances remain an ever-increasing concern. However, no previous cohort studies have investigated how the duration of antibiotic use during adulthood affects mortality rates.

Over the course of the new study, which was a collaboration between Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there were 4535 deaths from any cause among the 37,516 women, including 600 cardiovascular deaths and 1179 cancer deaths.

In looking at mortality rates, the authors categorized the women according to cause of death and total days of antibiotic use per year: none, less than 15 days, 15 days to less than 2 months, or 2 months or more.

A higher risk for death from any cause with antibiotic use for 2 months or longer was seen after a multivariate adjustment compared with women who didn’t use antibiotics (hazard ratio [HR], 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04 – 1.36); the risk for cardiovascular mortality was also higher (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.06 – 2.34).

The all-cause mortality risk was further increased among those who also used antibiotics for 2 months or more in middle adulthood, in addition to later adulthood (age 40 to 59 years; HR, 1.27).

The risk for cancer mortality was not increased in the highest antibiotic use group (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.63 – 1.09); however, Heianza noted that further research is needed to evaluate the potential risk in specific cancer types.

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Pharmacology wasn’t Uche Anadu Ndefo’s first passion.

She actually wanted to be a broadcast journalist, but that wasn’t the type of profession her Nigerian parents dreamed about for her. They told her she needed to choose one of the more traditional Nigerian careers: physician, nurse, pharmacist, engineer or lawyer.

“I think there are five acceptable things that we can be,” Ndefo said. “They told me, ‘Pick from that and find your happiness.’”

She became a pharmacologist, but found her true happiness as an educator, which gives her the opportunity to write and publish, “a backdoor way” of doing what she wanted to do in the first place.

Family is everything

An associate professor of pharmacy practice at Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ndefo was born in Nigeria, but moved to the United States as a baby when her father started a Ph.D. program and her mother entered a master’s program.

Three years later, the family returned to Nigeria and stayed for a decade. Those were Ndefo’s formative years, the stretch of time when she became immersed in her native language and culture.

The family ultimately headed back to the U.S. when Ndefo was a teenager so her mother could earn a Ph.D. in public health.

Since health and education are part of the family’s DNA, Ndefo’s Ph.D. in pharmacy is a source of family pride.

“My dad loves it. He brags about it. He addresses letters to me as ‘Doctor,’” Ndefo said. “I’m like, ‘Really dad? You’re sending a letter to your daughter. Why the formality?’”

Family is everything to Ndefo, and her townhome at the edge of West University reflects that. Outside, visitors will find evidence of a house full of boys: a driveway basketball goal and lots of toys in the back yard. Inside, family photos of Ndefo, her husband and their three sons adorn the walls. Eclectic wall paintings depicting international cities are souvenirs from her husband’s travels.

Everywhere, there are tributes to Africa, including native head statues from Zambia, a gift from her father-in-law to her husband to commemorate his birth.

Educating pharmacists

It’s that love of family that drove Ndefo to apply for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, awarded to academics born in Africa. Ndefo earned a spot to work with professor Godswill Onunkwo at the University of  Nigeria, Nsukka, on developing the curriculum for a new Doctor of Pharmacy program, which will emphasize preceptorship and rotations.

Currently, pharmacy students in Nigeria only earn bachelor’s degrees and receive little clinical training, yet they play a vital role in health care because a pharmacist may be the only health care professional a patient sees.

Ndefo’s lack of confidence in her homeland’s health care system boiled over about a week before she was to travel to Nigeria to work on the new curriculum. Her father, who was visiting family in Nigeria, fell ill with malaria. Rather than admit him to a hospital, Ndefo arranged for a doctor to come and stay with him.

“That’s part of why I know that I’m not done with whatever I need to do in Nigeria,” Ndefo said. “Just the thought of him having to go to a hospital, it scared me so much.”

Her father recovered from his illness, and that was a sign to Ndefo that she was in the right place at the right time. Her goal was to change how pharmacists are educated and how they operate in Nigeria, so she won’t be afraid the next time a loved one has to go to the hospital.

Education for Nigerian pharmacy students includes reading books and learning to follow the rules, but their only hands-on experience comes during six weeks of rotations with different types of pharmacies, including community, hospital and ambulatory. In the U.S., pharmacy students spend their final year of school gaining this sort of tactile training, Ndefo said.

Ndefo wants Nigerian pharmacy students to do six weeks of rotation in each of the three areas, and she wants to get them in front of patients. But she has encountered some push-back.

At first, Nigerian educators and medical practitioners told her that they weren’t interested in changing the program. To help make her case, Ndefo joined the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas and became a member of the education committee. As part of that committee, she spoke with colleagues about giving pharmacy students more tactile experiences with patients. The association supported her quest for change.

“We had witnessed first-hand how it was being done in Nigeria,” Ndefo explained. “The organization stood behind, ‘It’s time to make it a little more clinical and a lot less science-y.’”

Making a case

The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program also supported the cause. One of the program’s goals is to fight the “brain drain” African countries experience when people with means leave the continent to pursue other jobs and opportunities.

Ndefo says it is unlikely that Nigerian-born pharmacists making six-figure salaries in the U.S. would choose to return to work in Nigeria, where they might make $100 a month. Most people are just not going to do that, she said.

“We kept making our case and eventually, they realized that, at the end of the day, it’s really all about getting the best care that we can to patients, especially in Nigeria, where if I don’t have the money to see a doctor, I’m just going to go to the pharmacy and buy something,” Ndefo said.

Ndefo wants to ensure that pharmacists in Nigeria know how to interact with patients, know what to look for and know when to say, ‘This is way beyond my scope, and you really do need to go see a physician.’”

The program officially launches this summer, and Ndefo has applied to be one of the teaching pharmacists. She should find out if she has been accepted in the next couple of months. Until then, she will continue to fine-tune the program.

When students graduate, she said, they will understand the practice of pharmacy and they will know how to be pharmacists.

“Our goal,” she said, “is to empower them with the tools they need.

Source: TMC News

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LEKKI

1)         Full time Pharmacist

2)         Locum Pharmacist (Evening Locum)

REQUIREMENTS

Ø 2 years’ Post NYSC work experience

Ø Community Pharmacy retail experience

Ø B.Pharm or Pharm.D

Ø Interested and qualified candidates to send their CVs to hr@nettpharmacy.com Or call 08074535920

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OWERRI

1)         Weekend Pharmacist (Alternate Weekend)

REQUIREMENTS

Ø 2 years’ Post NYSC work experience

Ø Community Pharmacy retail experience

Ø B.Pharm or Pharm.D

Ø Interested and qualified candidates to send their CVs to hr@nettpharmacy.com

Or call 08074535920

The post PHARMACIST VACANCY AT NETT PHARMACY OWERRI, IMO STATE appeared first on Swank Pharm.

VICTORIA ISLAND

1)         Full time Pharmacist

2)         Locum Pharmacist (Evening Locum)

3)         Weekend Pharmacist (Alternate weekend)

REQUIREMENTS

Ø 2 years’ Post NYSC work experience

Ø Community Pharmacy retail experience

Ø B.Pharm or Pharm.D

Ø Interested and qualified candidates to send their CVs to hr@nettpharmacy.com

Or call 08074535920

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