The President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. (Prof.) Cyril Odianose Usifoh has challenged Pharmacists across the country to examine critically whether the health system is making the most of what pharmacists can offer.

This remark was made on 26th July, 2022, during the 41st Annual Scientific Conference organised by the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) in Festac, Lagos; where pharmacists converged to share ideas and opportunities for strategic planning for the future preparedness.

Addressing the conference delegates, Pharm. Cyril Usifoh reminiscing on the global outbreak of Covid 19 that took us all by shock. He said; “the pandemic really exposed gaps in our public healthcare delivery system globally. Pharmacy has been one of the essential resources deployed to address most of these noted gaps in the fight against the pandemic.”

Pharm. Cyril Usifoh lamented that though pharmacists as community health practitioners are under ultilised to help save lives, but “thankfully their roles have now been expanded globally to vaccinate and designing of infection prevention protocols in the community and many more.” This he said is very necessary to meeting the ever changing dynamics in the world. The empowerment of community pharmacists is therefore a cardinal focus of the 41st Annual Scientific Conference as pharmacists are practically trained and empowered on vaccination and basic life support. He expressed joy that Pharmacists can now be at the fore fronts of providing direct healthcare and recognised in the traditional role of medical delivery to patients.

While thanking ACPN National Chairman, Prince Pharmacists Wale Oladigbolu and his team for organising the conference to create a platform for empowerment and sharing of knowledge, he urged members to cash into the opportunity and appropriate it to save their community. He also assured ACPN of strong partnership with Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and other regulatory authorities – NACFDAC, PCN, etc, for supports.

Prof Cyril used the opportunity to invite members to the 95th Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria which will take place in Jos on October 31st – November 5th, 2022, wich is tagged : TIN CITY 2022.

In a chat with CEOAFRICA, Prof. Cyril Usifoh bared his mind on the pending amendment bill of the University Teaching Hospitals Act Cap U 15 LFN 2004, which is currently a subject of debate in the National Assembly. He urged the House to pass the bill without hesitation to help save the rot in the health sector.