To reiterate its commitment to develop young pharmacists and contribute to national development, the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF- PSN), is focusing discussions at its 2023 Mid-Year Meeting on the concepts of entrepreneurship and mentorship.
Disclosing this was Pharm. (Dr) Joel Adagadzu, BOF-PSN Chairman, at the press briefing to announce the three-day programme, which commenced Tuesday, July 11, 2023, and would end on July 13.
Adagadzu explained why it chose the two themes for this year’s seminar and lecture, stating that entrepreneurship fits well with the current state of the global investment landscape. It would help Fellows who are having difficulties with their businesses in learning how to get back to work immediately. However, mentoring will be an excellent strategy to develop youngsters for professional development and national development, the BOF-PSN Chairman added.
Adagadzu said, “The Mid-Year Meeting (MYM) is a statutory event in the Annual Calendar of the BOF as provided for in our Bye-Laws and in the PSN Constitution.
In the past few years, the BOF has been using the occasion of its MYM to deliberate on how best to support its members and to hold conversations on issues of National importance. This year, in order to achieve more mileage in these regards, we have increased the duration of our MYM by one day. The events will be held from Tuesday, July 11, to July 13, 2023. We are devoting July 11, 2023, to a seminar and workshop on Entrepreneurship in our attempt to consolidate our determined efforts to support Fellows faced with challenges in their businesses.
“The concept of Entrepreneurship is becoming more significant in the global investment environment. It is a concept that rides on the back of skills, commitment, and hard work among other attributes in the pursuit of successful investments. Fellows who are battling to stay afloat in their businesses have an opportunity to learn a few tips that should help them to sustain their investments and be profitable even in the face of unfair competition by charlatans.”
He further explained, “On July 12, 2023, the fifth in the series of our Public Lectures will h with the Theme: “Leveraging Mentorship for Professional Growth and National Development.”
“The choice of this Theme is in recognition that mentorship just like entrepreneurship, is a concept that is fast evolving. It is an excellent strategy for the development of the younger generation by the older generation. When properly harnessed, a lot of dividends can be achieved as the older and more experienced Fellows can provide the counseling and motivational stimulus for the growth and development of their younger colleagues,” he added.
To deliver the Public Lecture, which will be hybrid in nature, Prof. Lere Baale, a professor of Business Studies from the Netherlands School based in Lagos.
The PSN-BOF Chairman has also lauded the initiative of the Federal Government in reducing the importation of pharmaceutical products from 60 to 40 percent, affirming that Nigerian local drug producers are capable of delivering the needed services if given the right incentives to thrive.
He highlighted myriads of challenges confronting these manufacturers, including huge debts from the government, epileptic power supply, poor road networks, shortage of raw materials, and others as causes of their setbacks.
Adagadzu called for equity in budgetary allocation to the health sector, especially the Pharmacy industry.
The Chairman of BOF lamented that there’s a lopsidedness in dealing with professionals in the health sector.
“We seek equity and fairness for pharmacists given their readiness to serve and their desire to join in the rescue mission of the country.”
Based on feelers from the Presidency, he noted, it appears that the current administration has an agenda for supporting the pharmaceutical industry to increase local production and reduce dependence on imports.
“We congratulate the government for this important decision. We shall work closely with the leadership of the PSN and other interested parties to follow up on this matter,” Adagadzu added.
Meanwhile, in the past few years, through the MYM, BOF has deliberated on how best to support members and hold conversations on national importance.
Adagadzu, therefore assured the government of the proficient capacity of indigenous pharma manufacturers to meet citizens’ needs for medicines, if all their challenges would receive prompt attention.
He insisted that the pharmacy profession has a huge role in drug research and development, drugs and vaccine production, and the collateral responsibilities of clinical practice, drug administration, regulation, and safety.
“These responsibilities are all germane to Medicines security. The Nigerian pharmaceutical industry contributes significantly to national development.
“Government should therefore do everything possible to ensure its survival,” he appealed.
In its Campaign against Drug and Substance Abuse, the BOF-PSN said the group has resolved to pursue strategies for enhancing its activities in this area with greater vigour if funds permit.
Due to the worsening economic climate, their endowments fund projects to promote excellence in pharmacy education and research have also not witnessed much inflow. We, however, look up to the future with great hope.
The Mid-Year Meeting, he noted, will close with a dinner on Thursday, July 13, 2023, and feature the meeting of Fellows wrapped up with a dinner.
At the dinner, the BOF-PSN will award some prominent Nigerians for their outstanding contributions to national development and support of pharmacy growth in Nigeria.