The Anambra State Government has been urged to see to the immediate take-off the Cordinated Wholesale Centre, Oba even if it will entail lending a startup capital to the project to rekindle public interest.
ANN recalls Governor Chukwuma Soludo had in 2022 laid the foundation for the Cordinated Wholesale Centre, Oba in line with the National Drug Distribution Guildelines targeted at ensuring more controlled distribution of drugs and ending the dispensation of open drug market which is largely blamed for the circulation of fake and adulterated drugs in Nigeria.
Anambra state Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society Of Nigeria, Pharmacist Josephat Obasi made the call during an occasion to mark the 2023 World Pharmacist Day in Awka.
When commending the move, the PSN Chairman, Pharmacist Obasi said the immediate takes off of CWC, Oba will not only be a major landmark achievement for the Governor Soludo administration but will also help to protect the life of residents of Anambra State from the effects of fake drugs peddling in the state.
He also called on all regulators especially the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to step up its monitoring of patent shops to ensure that unregistered practitioners are closed down and that registered ones practice within the ambits of the Law.
Responding, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Medical and Pharmaceuticals, Dr Godwin Nnadozie explained that the vision of the Governor Soludo administration is to establish a pharmaceutical ecosystem in the state through the Anambra Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Hub on a 200-hectare expanse of land in Ogboji and promised that the State government has taken concrete steps to ensure that the Cordinated Whole Centre, Oba takes off this year.
Earlier, in a Keynote speech on theme of the celebration “Pharmacy Strengthening The Health System”, a renowned community pharmacist, Onyebuchi Nwuke who underlined the importance of pharmacists as very crucial stakeholders in the health sector, stated the pharmacists themselves must be lead the charge in ensuring that they are given their recognition in the medical and health sector by coming up with innovative policies in drug administration that will provide sustainable solutions.
The World Pharmacy Day celebration chaired by the immediate past chairman, Pharmaceutical Society Of Nigeria, Anambra State, Pharmacist Patrick Obi attarcaked stakeholders in the pharmacy and health sector including the representatives of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, National Agency For Food And Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
