Governor Sani Bello of Niger State has urged the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, to enforce the ethics of their profession to rid society of sales of unprescribed drugs.
Bello made the call when he hosted the registrar and Chief Executive Officer of PCN, Ibrahim Baba Shehu Ahmed, in Minna.
He noted the need for the council to operationalize the ethics of the profession to the letter as drug abuse among the people, particularly youths have reached an alarming rate.
According to him:” I want to appeal to this council to enforce your rules and regulations because right now, anyone can go to any pharmacy and buy any medication that he wants.
“I want to believe that this council is responsible for making sure that the work ethics of all pharmacists are done according to books. In recent times we have had a lot of pharmacists around and they engage more in the selling of drugs to our young people.”
He congratulated the new registrar and CEO on his appointment and pledged the support of his administration while urging him to be a worthy ambassador by making Niger State proud.
Earlier, the national chairman of PCN and leader of the delegation, Ahmed Tijani Morah told the governor that the purpose of the visit was to congratulate him on the appointment of Ibrahim Baba Shehu Ahmed, a Niger indigene, as the registrar and CEO of PCN.
“He is the first pharmacist of Niger State origin to be appointed Registrar and CEO of PCN,” Norah stated.
The PCN national chairman then appreciated the state government for its immense contribution and support to the profession.
The new registrar and CEO of PCN, Baba, in his remarks explained that he has commenced consultations towards closing down open drug markets in the country and replacing them with a coordinated wholesale centre where the public and certified retailers can regulate drugs.
He also disclosed that since assuming office, he has so far clamped down on over 3, 000 pharmaceutical outlets for operating beyond their standard procedure.
