The Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) has held her 27th Annual Conference tagged “Oluyole 2024” from Tuesday, June 4, 2024, till Friday, June 7, 2024, at De Signature Towers Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Focused on addressing the “Role of Digital Technologies and Innovations in Achieving Universal Health Coverage: The Nigeria Industrial Pharmacy Perspective”, the opening ceremony of the conference was well-attended by top dignitaries, stakeholders, experts, brands from the private sector as well as government representatives.
In separate Welcome Addresses, the Local Organising Committee Chairman for the conference, Pharm. Clement Adeboye; the PSN Chairman of Oyo State, Pharm. Victor Segun Ajanaku; and the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee (CPC), Pharm Valentine Okelu, expressed their excitement at the attendance of the conference, welcoming dignitaries to the event.
For Pharm. Adeboye, the gathering is one that brings together “a diverse assembly of healthcare professionals, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and industry leaders, united by a common goal: to explore and leverage the potential of digital technologies and innovative solutions to transform healthcare delivery and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.”
According to Pharm Okelu, the year’s conference theme “is not apposite especially in today’s socio-economic realities but highly essential. With the tempo of technological developments, there is need to innovate and channel attention towards leveraging newer advances in key areas like Robotics, Artificial Intelligence etc. in delivering reasonable access to healthcare at a more universal and cost-effective manner; particularly to the unserved and undeserved populations.”
Welcoming dignitaries and participants, the National Chairman of NAIP, Pharm. Ken Onuegbu explained that the theme of the conference underscores the pivotal role that the profession plays in the advancement of healthcare delivery in the nation, explaining that “In an era where digital economy is reshaping industries across the globe, the pharmaceutical sector cannot afford to lag behind. Digital technology has become an integral part of our lives.”
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Pharm Asiwaju Theophilos Adebowale Omotosho who is the Chairman/Founder, Bond Chemical Industries Ltd. Expressed delight at the theme of the conference, saying that tracing back to history, it is clear that digital transformation happens everyday.
On digital transformation, Asiwaju Omotosho said that technology has moved away from the analogue process of producing drugs decades ago as machine now produces drugs today. He said that “the pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a profound digital transformation driven by innovations, technology that are shaping every aspect, from drug discovery, development and delivery to marketing and commercial practice.”
Omotosho challenged the participants that with new technologies such as AI, data analytics, cloud computing, blockchain etc., the potentials of digital technologies can be harnessed to ensure effective healthcare delivery for citizens in Nigeria.
President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof. Cyril Odianose Usifoh while giving his address, said the vision and mission of the association would be fully realised with digital technologies, lauding their support for PSN. He urged that pharmacists must begin to let everyone know they are important, saying “If pharmacists relegate themselves to the background, you will become the lunch that they feed on.”
On his handing over by December this year, Usifoh charged the pharmacists to vote for a successor who will do better than himself and push pharmacy forward.
Representing the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, who welcomed the conferees, said the meeting marked an important landmark “in our collective journey towards advancing the pharmaceutical profession and enhancing health care delivery in our nation.”
“The conference theme is timely and not only underscores the importance of digital technologies and innovative practices in our industry, but also aligns with our shared committee to ensuring that quality healthcare delivery is accessible to every Nigerian irrespective of their location and socio-economic status,” she said.
Addressing conferees, the Keynote Speaker, Prof O. A Itiola of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, speaking on the theme, stressed the various technologies that can be adopted in the pharmaceutical industry to promote quality healthcare, highlighting the many advantages such as, better decision making, improved efficiency and productivity, encourages innovation and collaboration, makes comms and teamwork easier, improves working conditions, etc.
Apart from goodwill messages from stakeholders, other pharmaceutical associations, company presentations, panel discussion led by Prof. Michael Odeniyi Ayodele were also part of the opening ceremony. The Panelists were Pharm. Wale Oladigbolu, National Chairman ACPN; Pharm Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, Chairman PWDAN; Pharm Dr. Vern Ohaya; Dr. Mrs Jetawo-Winters, Exe. Sec. Kwara Health Insurance Management; and Pharm. Ifeoluwa Stella Adedeji, Supt. Pharmacist, Dana Pharmaceuticals.
As anticipated, the conference delved into the realm of digital technologies and innovations, discussing their impact on achieving universal healthcare; explored how digital tools and technological advancements can revolutionize practices in supply chain/distribution etc. to improve patient outcomes and make universal health coverage a reality.
Dignitaries at the opening ceremony are, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi; President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof. Cyril Odianose Usifoh; Chairman, Board of Trustees and Director, Business School Netherlands, Pharm. Prof. Lere Baale, FPSN; Chairman of the Opening Ceremony and Founder of Bond Chemical Industry Ltd, Chief Asiwaju Theophilus Adebowale Omotosho, FPSN; Baale of Oluyole Ibadan, Chief Adeyemi Ogunyemi.
Also, the Managing Director, Nigerian Army Drug Manufacturing Company (NADMACO), Brigadier General Stella Nkiru Ibeh, maw; Executive Secretary Kwara Health Insurance Management, Dr. Mrs Jetawo-Winters; Editor in chief of PSN, Prof. Moses Akanmu; National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Pharm. Wale Oladigbolu, among others.
