By Ojoma Akor
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has inducted 107 graduates of pharmacy from foreign institutions.
Registrar of the council, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu said the inductees had undergone the orientation programme as required by the PCN (Establishment) Act 2022, and have passed the examinations.
He stated this during the induction ceremony of participants of the first cycle of the 2025 foreign pharmacy graduate orientation program (FPGOP) in Abuja.
He said the FPGOP was organized primarily with the objective to ensure that the graduands are acquainted with the realities of practice in the tropics with emphasis on Nigeria.
He said, “Let me inform you that it is a global phenomenon that pharmacy graduates are statutorily required to undergo 12 months of the continuous internship training programme under the supervision of a registered and currently licensed pharmacist to be undertaken in an internship centre approved by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
“It is instructive to note that the internship period is primarily a training period and again a period of preparation for future opportunities.”
The registrar said the rapid development of science and patient safety issues require pharmacists to maintain and update their competencies and skills at all times.
He said in this regard, implementing Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) programme is considered to be of utmost importance by the PCN and of course, it is one of the criteria for licensure.
“This is also consistent with resolutions of World Health Organisation (WHO) for all Health Professionals and directives of the Federal Ministry of Health issued at the maiden Health Summit in 1996.
“Thus, the MCPD programme is, among others, aimed at ensuring the continued relevance of pharmacists in the healthcare team with patients in focus. The MCPD programme has both online and onsite packages available,” he stated.
He urged the newly inducted members of the pharmacy profession, to maintain high ethical conducts and leadership standards set forth by the PCN and endeavour to serve as examples for the achievement of excellence in the provision of quality pharmaceutical services for sustainable health care delivery in Nigeria.
The registrar also said the organization frowns at professional misconduct in its entirety.
” As such any form of misconduct by any pharmacist is usually investigated by the PCN investigating panel and if the pharmacists have a case to answer, he or she is referred to the disciplinary tribunal which would put the pharmacist on fair trial before pronouncement of any sort; this could lead to removal of name from the register for a given period of time during which he or she is not entitled to practice,” he added.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate who was represented by the Director, Food and Drug Services of the ministry, Pharm. Olubunmi Aribeana, charged the inductees to be good ambassadors of the profession, live above board, and ensure they practice ethically to the best of their ability.
She said, “They must also note that the direction of healthcare is patient-centricity. They should serve the patient with due diligence, respect, and compassion.”
On brain drain , she said the government is working towards ensuring better working conditions, but ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide whether to stay or leave.
Aribeana, added that the migration of healthcare professionals also has potential benefits for the country.
She said, “When they go out, they learn new technologies and new ways of practice, and many eventually come back home. First and foremost, they are Nigerians, and they will always be Nigerians.
The Chairman of the governing council of PCN, Hajiya Wosilat Giwa urged the inductees to maintain high ethical standards at all times irrespective of area of practice.
She said, “This is more than a ceremony—it is a new beginning, a new chapter in your life. While some of you might be looking forward to pursuing further studies, majority of you are likely to be looking forward to practicing as professionals in the various fields of pharmacy. ”
She also disclosed that the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, has continued to push for the central placement of interns of various professionals in the health sector.
She said that the goal is to ease the challenges being faced with securing internship sites.
She added that this effort is expected to translate to improvement in human resource for health across various disciplines in the country.
She said “As you step into this new phase, I leave you with four simple reminders:
-Serve with compassion. Medicines are important, but your kindness is healing too.
-Guard your integrity. Once it is lost, it is hard to regain.
-Keep learning. The science will keep changing—don’t get left behind.
-Give back. To your patients, to your communities, and to the profession.
Pharmacy profession is a profession of high ethical standards with zero tolerance for professional misconduct.”
