By Bisi Lawani, Akure.
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has commended the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN on the establishment of the Ondo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency to improve the quality of life of the good people of the state.
The council gave the commendation while paying a courtesy call on the governor in his office in Akure.
The Governor while addressing the council members appreciated the council’s tenacity and dedication at keeping the people of the nation safe through bringing on board new innovations in practice while saying that medicine is important for total health coverage and value chain of production for end users
Akeredolu who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa said the government is ready to partner with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to ensure total wellbeing of the good people of the state
According to him “The vision of the pharmacists to ensure total wellbeing of the people through drugs cannot be over-emphasised.The government has been partnering with them as a state through various interventions in the health sector and the novel, the establishment of Health Commodities Management Agency which will regulate and enhance drugs distribution in the state.
In his address, the Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Pharmacist Ibrahim Babashehu explained that the council was formerly Pharmacists Council of Nigeria and it is established to.
develop new trends in pharmacy practice in line with global best practices and to expand membership of the board to include other stakeholders who are not pharmacists, but major players in the pharmaceutical sector.
Babashehu lauded the various developmental initiatives in the state which are aimed at improving the quality of life of the people of the state.
The Registrar appreciated the governor for appointing Pharmacist (Mrs.) Folukemi Aladenola as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and also the establishment of the Ondo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency.
He noted that the Governing Council of PCN has decided that 50 percent of all licensing fees paid by the patent medicine stores in the state will be paid to the state government and all patent medicine stores operating in the state are to produce evidence of payment of tax to the government before their premises are licensed.
Bisi Lawani is Head, Media and Publicity Unit, Ministry of Health.