Pharmacists, Govt collaborate to shut down fake drug businesses

dimeji akinloye

June 5, 2015 7:31 PM

The Pharmaceutical society said it is ready to work with the state government in the area of adequate drug delivery and ensuring quality health care.

Pharmacists in the state said they are ready to join hands with the government to ensuring quality healthcare.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has called for collaboration with the Edo Government to facilitate its clampdown on quackery to rid the society of fake drugs.

The Edo Chairman of PSN, Christopher Iyare, made the appeal on Friday, June 5, during the group's familiarisation visit to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aihanuwa Heregie, in Benin.

Iyare said the society is ready to work with the state government in the area of adequate drug delivery and ensuring quality healthcare.

The chairman, however, said that a special task force set up to fish out fake pharmacists in the state has become moribund because of improper coordination.

He said that the state chapter of PSN would be repositioned with a view to making patients consume correct drugs prescribed by doctors.

Iyare decried activities of quacks in the profession which, he said, has led to ‘slow death’ of many patients.

He disclosed that the PSN would soon conduct house to house campaigns aimed at sensitising the public against incessant use of drugs and other health related issues in the society.

"The PSN is here to seek collaboration and also to familiarise itself with the Ministry of Health.

"We are here to talk about areas where we need your support particularly on drug delivery.

"We have put in place a task force on fake and counterfeit drugs.

"Like I said before, the task force has been moribund for some time now and we need to revive it.

"That is why we are seeking the support of the government and the Commissioner for Health on how we can move the healthcare forward in the state,” he said.

Responding, the commissioner told the PSN that the state government is open to collaboration with serious minded organisations pursuing the development of the state.

dimeji akinloye