TheCable

Cyril Odianose, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), says the organisation is working towards boosting local capacity for production of COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

Speaking on Wednesday during a press conference in Lagos, Odianose said the manufacturing of essential medicines will improve Nigeria’s health system.

The professor of pharmaceutical chemistry also added that one of the agendas of the society is to promote advocacy to fast track the recognition of community pharmacies as primary care centres.

“My pact with my colleagues was encapsulated in the five-point agenda which outlined my vision for the society as the president,” he said.

“These include institionalising the PharmD programme and consultancy cadre agenda to enhance service potential and catalyse an increase in the ways of hospital and academic pharmacists.

“We’ll boost local capacity for manufacturing of essential medicines including vaccines, while ensuring availability of medicines which cannot be manufactured by the local industry for the health system. In addition, I will ensure significant improvement in R$D by looking for alternative source of funding apart from government sources to NIPRID, faculties of pharmacies, DRPU, Centre for Drug Development and related platforms.

“Establishment of the National Post-Graduate College of Pharmacists to complement our consultancy cadre agenda, while also working with NAFDAC, PCN and relevant stakeholders.

“Within the last two months, we have been able to collaborate with the appropriate agency and community pharmacies are now centres for COVID-19 vaccinations.”

In November, Odianose emerged the president of the society during its 94th conference in Rivers state.