PSN to partner Kwara Govt to halt mobile hawking of drugs

 The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kwara Chapter has expressed dismay on rampant hawking of drugs in the Kwara, saying it will partner government to halt the trend.

Mr Adejuwon Otelaja, Chairman of PSN, Kwara stated this at the sidelines of the handover ceremony of new Executive members of the Society in Ilorin.

Otelaja expressed dismay at how drugs are peddled and hawked across the state, adding that “mobile hawking of drugs is an offence and people caught should be arrested and prosecuted”.

” It beats my imagination that people hawk drugs, obviously some other people are selling it to them, as such we are going to do internal cleansing.

“I can assure you no Pharmacist will be involved in that kind of nonsense, we are going to be doing a lot of enforcement, advocacy and meeting with different stakeholders including security agencies as well as Pharmacy Council for Nigeria (PCN), NAFDAC, NDLEA,” he said.

The PSN Chairman stated that these are part of effort toward ensuring drug security in the state.

He explained that PSN will embark on sensitization campaign to the citizenry on the dangers of drug abuse, medicine management and accessibility of drugs.

“We have people selling beyond what they should be selling, PSN is going to come hard on such people. That day of impunity is over as we want to sanitize the Pharmacy practice environment and ensure that there is drug security.

“This is because drugs are linked to crime. So once we can get the support of government and citizens in this regard, we believed crime will also reduce and mortality rate will also reduce,” he said.

Otelaja also disclosed that the PSN would kick start the ‘Rural Pharmacy Development Initiative’.

He observed that out of the 16 local government area of Kwara state, only about seven to eight LGAs can boast of a standard Pharmacy.

He stated that the Rural Pharmacy Development Initiative would ensure that there are Pharmacists in all the rural areas as well as standard Pharmacy outlets.

According to him, this will ensure quality of drugs and medicine management and patient care to the people in the state.

Otelaja also pointed out that the Society would lobby the state government to ensure there are Pharmacist in every General Hospital, Primary Healthcare center in all the LGAs.

He commended the recent employment of nine Pharmacists by the Kwara Government, however appealing that the government can do more.

The PSN Chairman maintained that drug security and having Pharmacist is capital development that the government must ensure.

Speaking earlier during the hand-over, Mr Ali Bakau, the immediate Past Chairman of PSN urged the new Executive to work on the legacy laid down by his administration, saying all support needed will be giving to the new leaders.