From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has inducted 30 pharmacy graduates of the Kaduna State University (KASU) into the pharmacy profession.
The event was held on Tuesday, 11th June 2024 at the 1000 Seater Theatre Hall of the main Campus along Tafawa Balewa Way Kaduna.
The Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Musa Garba while presenting the graduates to the Registrar of the PCN for oath taking and induction, congratulated them and their parents and advised them to use their knowledge of drugs for the benefit of patients.
“ Dr. Musa Garba has been thoroughly baked to veer into any human endeavors for success and survival,” he said.
He congratulated the inductees for their resilience and determination to survive at all odds.
He urged parents and guardians to continue their oversight responsibilities of guiding the young professionals through the school of life.
In his speech, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Pharm.
Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed. described the oath-taking and induction as one of the key requirements prescribed by the PCN Establishment Act which has to be fulfilled before registration as a pharmacist.
Pharm. Ahmed who was represented by the Kaduna State Officer of the Council, Pharm. Fatima D. Piyo reminded the new Pharmacists of their responsibilities as members of the healthcare team and admonished them to practice according to the ethics of the profession.
He advised them to abide by the content of the Pharmacy Oath they have taken and also challenged them to make contributions to the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria by providing solutions to the current global health challenges like COVID-19 and other diseases.
He said: “As you take the oath today and become inducted members of the pharmacy profession, I urge you to maintain high ethical standards and leadership skills as prescribed by the PCN.
He encouraged them to endeavor to be worthy professionals to attain excellence in providing quality pharmaceutical services to sustain health care delivery in Nigeria.
“As pharmacists, you are expected to get yourself acquainted with the code of professional ethics which prescribes your professional and moral responsibilities to the patients, to your pharmacist colleagues, other health care professionals, your employer wherever he may be as well as the general public among others.
“Strict compliance to the code of ethics is indispensable for the practice of pharmacy profession anywhere in the world,” he outlined.
After being successfully registered as a pharmacist, Ahmed said they would have the opportunity to positively compete favorably with their colleagues whom they aspire to be like in their areas of practice.
“It may be of great interest to you that there is no limitation to where each of you can get to in life,” he added.
“Pharmacy is a noble profession. It provides you, as new graduands, the prospects of practicing in different fields of the profession.
“This cuts across the industry, the community, hospital pharmacy practice, administration, research, academia, and even in other fields of human endeavor such as ICT, journalism, and governance, meaning that you have a lot of opportunities ahead of you.”
However, Ahmed told them they require due diligence and appropriate guidance and mentoring to excel in those areas.
“Ensure that you identify a mentor that will guide you through the area of your interest,” he implored the inductees.
He further dissuaded them from indulging in unwholesome practices, saying the Council frowns at professional misconduct in its entirety.
“Refrain from any act of misconduct as this will be treated with all seriousness it deserves.
“The PCN Act has provided for the establishment of an investigative panel as well as the disciplinary tribunal as a mechanism for handling issues of professional misconduct,” he warned.
In his remarks Vice Chancellor of KASU, Prof. Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa congratulated the new Pharmacists and their parents for the great achievement.
The Vice-Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Strategy, innovation, and Service Delivery, Prof. Helen Andow, also advised to be great ambassadors of KASU and use their knowledge of drugs to help the society.
The inducted pharmacists were welcomed into the Pharmacy profession by the Chairman of, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Kaduna State branch, Pharm. Sunday Okoh. The event was attended by the members of the university community, parents of the new Pharmacists, and other well-wishers.
