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•Plans drug information centre
From Jude Idu, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has leveraged the platform provided by World Pharmacy Day (WPD) celebration to amplify the call for higher investments in information and communications technology to boost service delivery.
The Chairman of the PSN, FCT Chapter, Mr Ifeanyi Ikebundu, made the call on Monday, while delivering a welcome address at the grand finale of the WPD celebrations..
According to him, the need to deploy ICT in service delivery and strengthen the health system became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, which showed the need to fortify health services to meet future needs.
He said: “This year’s World Pharmacist Day campaign presents opportunities to increase awareness of pharmacists as intelligent solutions providers. A well- functioning health system must have an accessible and reliable information provision platform, supply of medicines and technologies, trained and motivated healthcare workforce, good infrastructure, evidence-based policies, strong plans and adequate funding”.
He further noted that “it is imperative that we leverage on the opportunities presented by the increasing and impactful intervention by pharmacists in Nigeria, especially in the FCT to work more towards advancing and strengthening our health system”.
Ikebundu revealed that the PSN would launch the first phase of its Abuja Drug Information Centre (DIC).
“When fully operational, the PSN Abuja DIC would serve to provide accurate and comprehensive data to healthcare professionals, consumers of healthcare products in Abuja and the nation in general.
“Well established would ensure the achievements of the United Nations Development Goals in the provision of basic access to healthcare and promoting the attainment of universal health coverage for all”, he added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of occasion and Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kachifu Inuwa Abdulahi, who was represented by the Director, Information Technology of NITDA, Usman Gambo Abdullahi, commended the effort of the FCT chapter of PSN to introduce the use of information technology and use artificial intelligence (AI) in the discharge of its duties.
He, however, noted that the establishment of the Drug Information Center DIC in Abuja, would provide proper information on the use of drugs in the Nigerian capital city and beyond.
“It is a welcome idea to introduce information technology in the health system. This would revolutionize the system and to meet up with the challenges of proper information. We also welcome the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to harness the system. Digitization can as well improve telemedicine. And it offers opportunities for innovation in a growing challenges.”
He promised NITDA’s resolve to continue to collaborate with agencies like the PSN for a more technologically driven society.
Also speaking, the permanent Secretary, FCT, Olusola Adesola, said the FCT administration welcomed the efforts of PSN, which he said was apt as Nigeria and the entire world struggle to find a quicker way of solving the mystery of COVID-19.
