The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called for innovation and collaboration as a way of advancing community pharmacy practice worldwide.

This was stated at the opening of the 43rd annual conference of the Association, held on Tuesday at the International Conference Center, University of Ibadan, Oyo State. The event had esteemed guests and pharmacology’s crème de la crème in attendance, including Oyo State Governor Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, represented by his Deputy, Barrister Adebayo Lawal, and the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi.

In his keynote address, Governor Makinde highlighted the establishment of the Oyo State Drug Management Agency, aimed at ensuring efficient procurement, distribution, and management of pharmaceutical and medical supplies across the state. He emphasized the significance of this initiative in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and upholding quality care for all citizens.

The Governor encouraged ACPN members to embrace innovation and collaboration to address challenges in community pharmacy practice in Nigeria. He envisioned a future where every Nigerian has access to quality pharmaceutical care, with community pharmacists empowered to deliver exceptional service standards.

Furthermore, Governor Makinde urged ACPN to ensure free, fair, credible, and safe elections to enthrone God-fearing and progressive leaders who prioritize the well-being of Oyo State citizens.

In her address, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye said that Community Pharmacists are the first point of call in Nigeria for primary healthcare needs, and this put them at the forefront serving as the bridge between the patients and the healthcare system.

Professor Adeyeye reiterated that the conference served as an avenue for Community Pharmacists, manufacturers, and other stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry to network and share knowledge and also chart a course for the future of their practice worldwide.

She said,

“This conference provides a key opportunity for us to exchange knowledge, chart a course for the future of community pharmacy practice worldwide and also collaborate”

She, therefore, charged Community Pharmacists to leverage the evolving technological development to further create quality and affordable healthcare for all.

The conference, Oluyole 2024, chaired by Pharmacist Grace Ikani, had Remi Adeseun, Global Director of Salient Advisory as the keynote speaker. The conference also pledged to be a transformative event in strengthening ties between community pharmacists and the State Government.

In a concerted effort to reduce malaria by at least 90% by 2030, Oyo State Government has expressed its readiness to partner with the US Government through the Global Health Supply Chain to distribute over 5 million insecticide-treated nets to households across the State to prevent malaria.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi made this known in her office while receiving the US GHSC Team. She noted that malaria is a global disease and it is also a life-threatening disease with estimated annual cases between 300-500 million cases. Therefore the support from the US Government to distribute insecticide-treated nets across homes in the State is a welcome development, adding that this will go a long way toward the global target of eradicating malaria by 2030.

The net distribution campaign, which is a project under the Presidential Malaria Intiative (PMI) office, funded by the US Government to manage malaria across the Country, is set to distribute the insecticide treated nets across the State, as a way of contributing their own quota to the eradication of malaria disease in Oyo State

Dr. Ajetunmobi reiterated that one of the pillars of Omituntun 2.0 is proper healthcare delivery to all across the State, therefore the present administration is always ready to support Health partners to achieve the desired result in the healthcare system.

She therefore promised that the Ministry would do all within its capacity as regards the micro planning involved in the distribution of the insecticide-treated nets, such as the warehousing, funding of the distribution process, the human resources needed for the distribution of the nets and so on, so as to ensure that the distribution is smoothly carried out without any glitches and the end would also justify the means.

The Permanent Secretary, SMOH, Dr. Akintunde Ayinde who expressed delight at the gesture by the US GHSC, Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI), noted that although it is not the first of its kind, however this is the biggest so far in the series of net campaign in the State. He therefore assured the team of the Ministry’s maximum cooperation and adequate preparation ahead of the distribution so as to have better results than the previous ones.

The Acting Director of Malaria Programme for GHSC PMI Pharm. Oludayo Adekunle, expressed the gratitude of the Presidential Malaria Initiative as a project, for the privilege to Work with Oyo State through the Net Campaign. He noted that the net distribution is done almost every four years to be sure of its efficacy in each home.

Pharm. Oludayo added that Oyo State has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the US Government investment in terms of the malaria eradication programme, this is because Oyo State Government has been doing so much to prevent malaria in the State.

He noted that the net distribution campaign will commence in the first quarter of the year 2025, urging for a smooth collaboration with the Ministry as regards the effective distribution of the nets to ensure it gets to the appropriate households across the State.

Present at the meeting were the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Gbolahan Abass; the Director of Secondary Health Care and Training, Dr. Adekunle Aremu; the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacist Moses Adewole; the State Malaria Implementation Officer, Mrs. Foluke Adeyemo and others.

Oyo State Ministry of Health and State Emergency Management Agency have teamed up to prevent flood disaster, Cholera Outbreak and other diseases in all the nooks and crannies of the State.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajerunmobi, while paying an official visit to the Administrative Secretary of Oyo State Emergency Management Agency, (OYSEMA), Mrs. Ojuolape Busari on Thursday, said the visit was to discuss the State’s preparedness plan for the flooding diseases and how to establish inter-Agency Collaboration.

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Babatunde Olaniyan, explained that the focus of the discussion was on preventing flooding and its adverse effects, such as Cholera and displacement of residents, that could lead to sanitation breaches.

She emphasized on the importance of preventing cholera outbreak through proper sanitation and clean water provision.

She further noted that the public health campaigns are being launched to educate communities on hygiene practice, such as proper handwashing and safe food preparation.

In her response, the Administrative Secretary of Oyo State Emergency Management Agency, (OYSEMA), Mrs. Ojuolape Busari provided a comprehensive overview of the State’s emergency preparedness plan.

She hinted that the plan is included flood mapping, early warning systems and community sensitization programme.
She said in case of emergency, OYSEMA has established flood -prone areas to ensure quick evacuation and support.

The focal point of the discussion, and a key strength of the preparedness plan, is the Inter-Agency Collaboration. Both parties underscored the necessity of a robust collaboration between the Ministry of Health and OYSEMA. Regular joint meetings and information sharing were proposed to ensure a coordinated response. A dedicated team comprising members from both parties will oversee the preparedness plan’s implementation, especially the health-related component, further solidifying our united effort.

Also, at the end of their deliberations, the following urgent and significant recommendations were made, underscoring the importance of immediate action: To increase efforts to educate communities on flood risks and preventive measures through local leaders, media, and NGOs.; Ensure adequate resources, such as medical supplies, clean water, and sanitation facilities, are pre-positioned strategically; Implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the preparedness plan and make necessary adjustments.

The Oyo State Government has issued a call for more vigilance and the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of a potential cholera outbreak in the State.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi gave the charge during her visit to a private hospital in Ibadan where two suspected cholera cases were receiving treatment.

Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi noted that Cholera is a bacterial infection spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the faeces (poop) of an infected person.

She explained that cholera is highly infectious and can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration, adding that it may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting, and fever.

The Commissioner described the two suspected cases in Ibadan, which had been tracked down to a private facility in the state as male workers at a construction site in Lekki Peninsula from Lagos State

She noted that there is no cause for alarm as the Ministry and other partners are on top of the situation.

Dr. Oluwaserimi therefore reiterated the response efforts of the State Government through the Ministry at ensuring that the State does not record casualties from the cholera outbreak from Lagos State.

According to her, the response efforts include; the deployment of LGA DSNO, promotional jingles in English and Yoruba running in different media houses, Immediate inauguration of the Cholera Technical Working Group, putting IDC Olodo into active mode for isolation and management, reaching out to all our surveillance rangers at the LGA level to intensify surveillance activities, re-posting of cholera case definition on the platform of community informants for updates, awareness, and sensitization of the gatekeepers and other well-established community structures.

The Commissioner therefore appealed to all to be safety conscious and always drink water only from clean sources, practice good personal hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap and water.

She maintained that anyone with the symptoms mentioned above should not partake in self-medication but present themselves at the nearest healthcare facility immediately.

The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating quackery and illegal health facilities throughout the State

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi stated this while monitoring various health facilities Statewide

The facilities sealed during the monitoring exercise include Ayinke Clinic and Maternity, Omowumi Hospital and Olajumoke Clinic Maternity at Saki respectively, and six others within the Ibadan metropolis

The Commissioner said that a huge number of health facilities have been sanctioned for committing different offenses ranging from the recruitment of unqualified medical personnel, non-registration of the facility, handling of cases beyond the facility,  among others

It would be recalled that the State Anti-quackery Task Force was set up by His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, headed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Adewumi Ajetunmobi, with qualified Medical Personnel as Team members with the aim of eradicating fraudulent practices within the health sector

Speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of the State Anti-quackery Task Force Committee, Dr. Adekunle Aremu reiterated that the State Government is making concerted efforts in monitoring various health facilities across the State to separate the quacks from professionals in the health sector

He urged the public to report any suspicious or illegal activities in health facilities to the State Ministry of Health or any security agency. He noted that the exercise which began in Ibadan would soon expand its tentacles to other zones including Oyo, Ogbomoso and Saki with a clear message that anyone found culpable will face the full wrath of the law.

Photo Speaks at World Oral Health Day 2024, organized by the State Ministry of Health and Government Dental Centres across the State.

The Oyo State Government, has shut six health facilities across the State over quackery.

The six health facilities sealed committed various offenses, including recruitment of unqualified personnel to provide medical services and engage in illicit practices.

Speaking during an inspection and monitoring exercise held within the Ibadan metropolis, the State Antiquackery Task Force Committee Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Aremu said the team carried out the operation as part of the Government’s efforts towards protecting the health and well-being of residents.

Dr. Aremu said the Oyo State Government would not tolerate any form of quackery or substandard practice in the health sector.

He added that anyone found culpable would face the full wrath of the law.

He urged the public to report any suspicious or illegal activity in any health facility to the Ministry of Health or the nearest security agency.

He also advised the public to patronize only accredited and registered health facilities in the State, adding that they must ensure only qualified personnel attend to them.

He appealed to health workers to abide by the ethics and standard of their profession.

The Chairman also urged residents to cooperate with the Government in its quest to provide quality and affordable health care to the people.

He said: “The goals remain clear, Oyo State Government is dedicated to upholding rigorous standards and prioritizing the health and safety of every resident.

“The Government ensures that healthcare services consistently meet the highest benchmarks for quality and safety, so citizens can trust their well-being”.

Among the facilities sealed were the New Jobi Memorial Hospital; Omolara Clinic & Maternity Home Iped Amazing Grace Medical Clinic; Emiloju Clinic and Maternity Centre Ogbere and Safeway Clinic, Gbaremu; Emilagba clinic and Maternity Centre, Ibadan.

E-signed:

Prince Dotun Oyelade,

Commissioner for Information and Orientation,

Oyo State.