Pharmacist Day: Low number of pharmacists worries Imo chair

Chairman of Imo chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Dr Stanley Emegwara, has expressed concern over the low number of pharmacists in the country.

Emegwara made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Owerri, shortly after he emerged as chairman in an election held Wednesday as part of the activities to mark this year’s World Pharmacist Day.

He said with a population of almost 200 million people, Nigeria needed more hands to address its health needs, noting that the low number of pharmacists posed a major challenge in addressing the menace of quackery in the country.

He gave assurance that the society under his watch would collaborate with the PCN and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to stamp out quackery.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s celebration; Safe and effective use of medicine: the role of the pharmacist, Emegwara said the Imo PSN had embarked on campaigns to educate the public on proper use of drugs.

He also said the group would partner the state government with the aim of providing best quality health services to the public.

”The ratio of pharmacists to Nigerians is a cause for concern because we have very few pharmacists serving about 200 million Nigerians. This is a major challenge in the fight against quackery.

“But we will partner the government, the PCN which is our regulatory body and NAFDAC in order to satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians who are looking up to us for quality health services,” he said.