Pharmacists in Plateau State have been enjoined to comply with global standards and professional ethics in the discharge of their duty. The charge was handed down on Monday, 25th March, 2024 by Pharm. Kim Jerry Bot, Executive Secretary, Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (DMCMA)
In a statement signed by Fwenji Go’ar, Information Officer of the agency, Pharm Bot stated this when members of the Plateau State Chapter of the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) led by the Plateau State Chapter Chairman, Pharm Paul Nweke and his team paid a courtesy visit at the Agency’s Head Office in Jos
Go’ar said “The Executive Secretary (ES) of the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (DMCMA) has lauded the Federal Government’s directive for tertiary health facilities to resort back to the conventional Drug Revolving Fund (DRF)”.
The statement by Go’ar exclusively obtained by www.pointblank.com.ng quoted the leader of the delegation, Pharm Paul Nweke as saying “their role was dynamic and cannot be overemphasized, as they are the industrial arm of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, and are saddled with the responsibility of manufacturing, importation, distribution and the logistics management of pharmaceutical products in the nation. Their role brings to bear the product aspect of the association”.
Nweke described the DMCMA as the fulcrum of the pharmaceutical profession, and so the partnership with the DMCMA cannot be overemphasized.
He said, “Without DMCMA and affiliate bodies in other states, the job of NAIP members would be at stake. And without NAIP, the job of the DMCMA will equally be at stake,” saying it is an intrinsic union that cannot be taken away. He equally pledged the support of the association to the DMCMA.
“He believes that the success of the DMCMA is also their success, and so it is if the DMCMA fails, it is equally a failure on their part”.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the DMCMA, Pharm Kim Jerry Bot thanked the team for the visit and appreciated the fact that a lot of things would revolve around NAIP and the DMCMA, describing them as a major technical stakeholder.
Pharm Bot showered encomiums on Pharm Paul Nweke, the Chairman of the Plateau State Chapter of NAIP, describing him as someone who does a lot on the top-to-bottom approach, and also welcomes the bottom-to-top approach in leadership, and that they are lucky to have him.
Speaking further, Bot said, “we have the opportunity to be custodians of products, not just products, but products that would give life.” That, he says, comes with real responsibility.
On the issue of the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF), the DMCMA Executive Secretary said that the federal government is resorting back into the conventional DRF as it was before. That the Hon Minister of Health, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate has already issued a directive on that effect. Saying, “with the coming of the DMAs, the entire country will unify the system, and then subsequently decentralize them to the states, and say that this is the only conduit with which pharmaceuticals would be able to reach the people down in the rural area.”
His desire is that they will successfully run and sustain the DRFs across the states.
He says as pharmacists, they have been trained to maintain standards, and not to compromise, and to work within the borders of the ethics of the pharmacy practice.
He frowned at any situation where the pharmacists themselves would allow for compromises in the discharge of the DMCMA’s activities.
He said the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang is taking every step to ensure that the DMCMA gets up and running.
The ES assured that professionalism would be upheld.
The Plateau State Chapter of NAIP presented some souvenir gift items to the Executive Secretary and Management of the agency.
At the end, the Director of Administration gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the DMCMA.
