Collaboration, transparent leadership can improve healthcare, says Saraki

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki has said that effective collaboration and transparent leadership can improve the healthcare system in the country.

Speaking at the 91st Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Saraki urged different stakeholders under the health sector to harmonise themselves, so as to work to achieve a common in the interest of the patients.

Saraki who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on health matters, Tony Like Osama noted they the national assembly will do everything within its jurisdiction to improve care across the nation, stating that the PSN’s resolution will be highly considered.

President, PSN, Ahmed I. Yakasai in his remark said it is a memorable day for the PSN as they kick start the beginning of a new decade in the long remarkable history of the noble society.

The 91st Annual National Conference of PSN is tagged “Oluyole 2018” with the theme “Innovative Disruption in Pharmacy in Emerging Economies: A Roadmap for Nigeria.”

Yakasai urged the members to ‘use the opportunity to learn from one another, network and develop new relationship and most importantly chart a new roadmap on how to move the profession to the next level in particular and how to develop the nation in general.

He continued: “This years theme is a critical to our growth as a nation in the committee of nations. It is to advance the national discourse on survival and significant in a time of rapid and turbulent change.

Whether you are disruptively innovating or depending against disruptive challenger, we must do things differently to move from good to great as a profession and as a country we must develop new model that would replace the old model.”

The PSN President disclosed that it is crystal clear to all and sundry right now that PSN is a leading professional body in Nigeria that is progressive.

“Under my stewardship we have shown commitment and determination in achieving our promises; the Lere Baale, led strategy committee undertook a critical review on all aspect of pharmacy practice in Nigeria and come up with a document PSN Vision 2050 strategy to move our profession to the next level of impact and progress in order for us to be at par with other successful pharmaceutical practice across the globe,” he said.

He continued:” our advocacy visits had resulted into a progress for the society, the actualisation of Pharm D program in Nigeria and I am glad that some pharmacy school have started the Pharm D program fully, others must follow suit as soon as possible.

We also achieved better remuneration for pharmacist in the police force, acquisition of our property in Victoria Island, increased government commitment to fight drug abuse and eradication of substandard and falsified medicines in the country through the power of advocacy.

We also championed national efforts aimed at promoting inter-professional collaboration to resolve disharmony in healthcare delivery services, using it and other numerous benefits for the profession, the society and members of PSN.”

Director General, National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Christiana Adeyeye, said: “It is indeed an honor to deliver my message at very important time of this profession. The Society by extension has come a long way and has made endless sacrifice and transited through different stages.

“The world has become more technology driven, we have to stay on top of our game that is why Pharm IT will solve distribution chain problems. We are also innovating to serve customer, to be consumer friendly. Our aim is to make registration stress free. We work in synergy with PSN and PCN to ensure we have cohesiveness in our profession.”

Similarly, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that for the healthcare to improve we must not be doing things the same way; we need disruptive innovations for us to survive as a group. He commended the President on the fight against drug abuse, citing that the government is making a great effort to tackle the issue.

Adewole who was represented by Director Pharmaceutical Services at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) Abuja, Moshood Lawal said two committees have been set up to address the issue. “Within few years we have a single policy of drug distribution chain in West Africa.”

President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Clare Omatseye, in her keynote address, said: “As pharmacist we are valuable members in healthcare. But our country is the second in maternal mortality. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that cancer would kill more than tuberculosis, Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and malaria combined. We as pharmacists are not working in lacuna as pharmacists we have crisis.”

She continued: “70 to 80 per cent of drugs are imported, assuming something happens to the Port we are all gone. We need to have drug security. As a country we can only boast of 2.38 percent local production.

We have high taxes for manufacturer and almost zero duty for drug importation.

We have a lot of discrepancies in the system. The public private should come together, pharmacists and doctors should come together for the interest of patients.”

Omatseye added: “We need to understand the challenges and build strategic ways to improve. We need good governance, avoid corruption. We need to harness digital platform.

Over the past decade the pace of digital innovation in healthcare has accelerated exponentially.

We need to leverage on tech to close the gap. A radical innovation is required to change pharmacy paltry 0.2 per cent contributions of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

A former Governor Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekaru, said it is an honor and privilege to extend gratitude and special appreciation to leadership of PSN in particular Yakasai, the outgoing President of the Society.

“Congratulation to you and members of the council for the successful three year of leadership. I am happy seeing him coming this far. I am not surprised for the level of achievement made for the Society, his quality leadership and outstanding leadership. He was in my cabinet when I was Governor.”