Anambra State Government Affirms Commitment To Addressing Drug Insecurity 

The Anambra State Government has affirmed it’s commitment to addressing the medicine and drug distribution system across the state.

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The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike recalled that Governor Charles Soludo immediately after his inauguration, mandated that the Ogbo-Ogu Market, Onitsha will be moved to Wholesale Coordinated Centre in Oba (Drug market) upon completion. He said this while addressing the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Anambra Chapter during their 60th Annual Scientific 2023 Conference in Awka.

Dr. Obidike reassured the commitment of Gov. Soludo’s administration to ensuring that the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC), Oba and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Hub, Ogboji is actualized which will help address the medicine insecurity and drug distribution.

The Commissioner noted that the Pharmaceutical Hub, CWC when fully operational will greatly address the challenges of open drug market distribution not just in the state but in the South East.

“Not just Pharmacists are greatly worried, the State Government is equally concerned that the lack of control of drug distribution in Nigeria has continued to increase medicine insecurity and that is the reason we are making a sincere effort to arrest the situation in Anambra. I urge you all to unite as one family and stop fighting yourself because you can never achieve nor make progress while fighting each other. We appreciate the huge contributions of pharmacists in Anambra especially those working in government owned health facilities, it will interest you all to know that our governor appointed pharmacists in his cabinet.’’

The theme, “Challenges and implications of medicine insecurity in a chaotic drug distribution system: The role of pharmacists.

Speakers at the conference highlighted the indices of medicine insecurity to include scarcity and unavailability of essential and lifesaving medications, widespread circulation of counterfeit, fake, adulterated, and unwholesome medicines and the prevalence of open drug markets which are all at embarrassing levels in the country.

According to them the situation will remain unabated until policy makers, industry stakeholders, and other health professionals recognize and include pharmacists in the scheme of things to manage the challenges faced in the medical system in Nigeria.

A Public Health advocate and immediate past chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Rivers State Branch, Pharm. Chima Ogbu, in a keynote speech, said that because public health crises do not recognize social classes, the solutions and the implementation of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria Act 2022 must be carried out without attachment  to personal, group, or sectional interests.

Pharmacist Ogbu, maintained that drugs can never be food and must only be administered by a professional, called on the Federal Government to set up a national body that will be responsible for gathering and sharing information on demands for and supply of medicines in the country.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Anambra State Chapter, Pharm. Josephat Obasi explained that the scientific conference which is in its thirtieth edition celebrates the excellence in the pharmacy profession in the state.

The conference featured presentation of research papers in the pharmacy profession and related fields and innovations in new drugs and drug manufacturing by participating manufacturing companies.