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General News of Sunday, 25 April 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria has 28,000 registered pharmacists - PCN

A pharmacist A pharmacist

Nigeria has 28,000 registered Pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) disclosed on Saturday.

The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Professor Ahmed Tijani Mora disclosed this on Friday at the naming of the Conference Hall of the PCN building at the North Central Zonal office in Minna.

According to him, a lot of the registered Pharmacists have travelled out of Nigeria for greener pasture while some are dead, adding that the current number is not enough to cater for the needs of Nigerians.

Mora, however, expressed optimism that the number of registered pharmacists in the country would soon increase, as 27 universities across Nigeria are now offering Pharmacy Degree Programmes, out of which 22 are already fully accredited by both PCN and the National Universities Commission.

Mora also disclosed that the country has about 300 pharmacy professors in Nigeria.

He said there are about 100,000 registered patent medicine shops in the 774 local government areas in the country, adding that the outlets to access pharmaceutical care are many but not evenly distributed.

The chairman explained that PCN has decided to immortalise pharmacists who gave their all to bring the profession to occupy its present pride of place by naming an auditorium and committee rooms with newly completed facilities after them.

He said six past chairmen and registrars have had auditoriums and committee halls named after them this year, adding that the conference hall at the North Central Zonal office will be named after another past PCN Chairman, Professor Elijah Sokomba.

In his response, Professor Sokomba appreciated PCN for its gesture, saying it will encourage the younger upcoming pharmacists.