Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) has begun compilation of the list of members who might have been involved in professional misconduct for disciplinary actions in accordance with schedule 2, Section 17(5) on ‘Supplementary Provisions’ relating to the disciplinary tribunal and investigating panel of the PCN Act CAP P17 LFN 2004.
The Council said it’s expecting huge backlog of cases that would need to be looked into, as it was over five years since the last investigating panel sat to investigate erring members of the profession.
It stressed that Pharmacy profession is no exception, and the need for a panel to look into the activities of the practitioners of the profession is even more imperative taking into consideration the issue of life and death with respect to the practice of pharmacy profession.
The Council insisted that licensed PCN members inducted to serve mankind must be seen to act above board and conform to the ethics of the profession and the Code of Conduct expected of every registered and licenced pharmacist.
Chairman of the Council, Prof. Tijjani Mora, inaugurated the investigating panel in Abuja, which comprises of Pharm. Yakubu Akawu, Pharm. Umar Garba Gumau, Pharm. Edith Egbuonu, Prof. Moses Akanmu, Prof. Garba Uthman Sadiq, Pharm. Ifraimu Irimiya Kifasi, and Pharm. Williams Etubiebi.
He explained that the investigating panel is a very important panel whose activities go a long way in cleansing the practice of the pharmacy professionals and make delivery of pharmaceutical services to the citizenry safe.
He said: “Whether in manufacturing, importation, community, hospital practice, in the academia or in pharmaceutical research, the conduct of the pharmacist as a healthcare professional must be without question.
“Expectedly, pharmacist must be above board, without any iota of professional misconduct. He/she must serve as role model to the younger pharmacists and also be a team player among other members of the healthcare team.
“In the academia and research institutes, a pharmacist should be a willing and highly ethically minded collaborator and peer. It’s within these premises that the Governing Council deemed it necessary to constitute the panel.”
He reminded the investigating team of the sensitivity of the responsibility, and cautioned them against being compromised in the cause of carrying out the task, and must be resisted at every point.
“There’s likelihood of you investigating your former classmates, schoolmates, friends, associates or acquaintances. But, the Law of the land is supreme and the job must be carried out no matter whose ox is gored,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PCN Chairman has secured the support of Association of Pharmaceutical Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (APPMAN) and the Nigerian Association of Foreign Trained Pharmacists(NAFTraph) towards the success of his tenure.