The chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Pharm. Ifeanyi Ikebudu, addressing journalists in the Nation’s capital Abuja on the World Pharmacists Day celebration said it is a landmark celebration of all Pharmacists, globally created by the International Federation of Pharmacists (FIP) Council at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey in the year 2009.

He said the World Pharmacists’ Day is celebrated annually and it is projected to celebrate the great contributions of Pharmacists globally to a healthier world describing the theme for this year’s celebration “Pharmacy; United in Action for a Healthier World” as very apt because it underscores the great need for Pharmacists and indeed all healthcare professionals across the different spectra of practice to close ranks for a more collaborative approach towards maintaining a healthier and wealthier world.

Pharm. Ifeanyi Ikebudu said the challenges and indeed the lessons from the cohesive and united approach in the fight against the COVD-19 pandemic are a critical pointer to the need for a united, purposeful and directed approach to pharmaceutical services delivery.

He said the 2022 celebration was apt especially as it comes on the heels of the Presidential assent to the Pharmacy Council Bill by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and commended the president’s assent.

He said there is no gainsaying that the coming into law of the Bill gives the body a great pedestal to celebrate this year’s World Pharmacy Day as the new Pharmacy Council Law will act as a springboard for the Council to exact better regulations on Pharmacy practice in the Country thereby improving the health indices.

Pharm. Ifeanyi Ikebudu also calls on the Federal Ministry of Health and all States involved to act speedily on the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs) vis a vis the Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs)as the full implementation of the provisions of the NDDGs will have a far-reaching positive impact on the health indices, medicine security, control (or eradication) of fake and counterfeit drugs and ultimately achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.

He lamented the worrying levels of drug abuse amongst the youths in the Country as studies indicate that 20% - 40% prevalence of drug abuse amongst students and youths which portends a great danger to the future of this Country and every effort must be made to ensure reversal of this trend.

Pharm. Ikebudu commended the efforts of NAFDAC and NDLEA both individually and collectively in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking and called for more concerted efforts in this regard.

Other professionals like the former FCT chairman Pharm Jelili Kilani spoke on the need for reduction of import tariff on materials for drug production as Pharm Abubakar Danraka the current Vice-chairman commended the successes achieved in the fight against drug abuse.

On her part Pharm. Ene Daniel harped on the need for Nigerians to seek healthcare services from only qualified professionals.