PSN decries influx of fake drugs

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has lamented the formidable size and spread in circulation, the abundance of fake and counterfeit drugs which were peddled by the dangerous faceless and unpatriotic citizens in the state and nation at large.
This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the Zamfara State branch of the PSN, Pharmacist Sani Bello ahead of the 25th of September been set aside as World Pharmacists Day by the International Federation of Pharmacists.
According to the statement, the theme of this year’s celebration is: “SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MEDICINE FOR ALL” saying, the choice of the theme was informed by the truism that there is no treatment without safe and effective medicines.
It further called on the government agencies to gear up in effort to arrest the dangerous situation, adding that, “However, government alone cannot execute this task without the active support of all and sundry especially the mass media, religious leaders, community leaders as well as other non-state actors”.
Among other efforts made by the PSN to facilitate fake drugs free society in the state were the call for the employment of Pharmacists to cover all public health institutions including Primary Healthcare Centers to guarantee quality in handling and general administration of drugs.
It further suggested that, apart from intensive public awareness on drugs, it vowed to encourage the establishment of legal commercial outlets for drugs to be manned by qualified pharmaceutical manpower even if it means through assistance by the state government.
“Equally commendable is the recent effort by the new leadership of the state government to boost manpower status in the state including pharmacists via the recent foreign scholarship award given to deserving indigenes of the state”, the statement said.