Interviews

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Oct62017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

How the Pharma Industry in Nigeria Can Compete Globally –NIROPHARM President

Pharm. Lekan Asuni is the President, Association of Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM). He is also the founder and CEO of LEFAS Pharmaceuticals Limited. In this interview with PharmaTimes Correspondent, GABRIEL IFINNWA, he reveals how drugs manufactured locally can meet international standards, and why the pharma industry still needs government support. Excerpts: What are your major achievements as chairman, Association of Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM)? As you are aware NIROPHARM represents multi-national pharmaceutical manufacturing companies locally. The Association sets and operates on a very high standard. We ensure that the international best practices are met locally. This we do through every...

Sep192017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Amaju Ezenduka: The Menace of Patent Medicine Dealers, And the Chaos in Delta Drug Market

Interviews, NEWS

It must not be lost on us – the fact that Community Pharmacists are at a strategic vantage position to contribute to nation building, as well as making the health sector to function better. Pharm. (Mrs.) Amaju Ezenduka is a community pharmacist operating in Warri, Delta State where she is also saddled with the responsibility of public enlightenment on behalf of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) in that part of the country. She bares her mind to PharmaTimes Editor, MORGAN NWANGUMA, on what she terms a chaotic situation in Delta State, and the nation at large. In nation building everyone has a duty or role to play. The community is where social interactions of all sorts take place at the grassroots. The community is where you mingle with the masses; it is the root o

Aug152017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Why Nigeria’s Pharma Industry Must Be Transparent – Teresa Pounds

Interviews, NEWS

Dr. Teresa Pounds is the Clinical Pharmacy Manager and Pharmacy Residency Programme Director, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Centre, in Atlanta, Georgia - USA. In this interview with PharmaTimes’ Gabriel Ifinnwa, she speaks about the pharmaceutical practice in Nigeria, and how to curb the high cost of drugs in the country. Excerpts: Tell us about yourself? My name is Teresa Pounds. I am a native of Asaba, Delta State; I went to pharmacy school in the US. I obtained my bachelor of science, Doctor of Pharmacy, and then I did my post graduate residency where I specialised in Parental nutrition support and critical care. I have been practising in the US for more than 20 years. I am currently the Clinical Pharmacy manager and Director at Wellstar, Atlanta Medical Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, US. I

Jul272017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

70% Of Nigeria’s Pharma Sector Is Import Dependent – Falabi, NAIP National Chairman

Interviews, NEWS

Pharm. Gbenga Falabi is the General Manager Green Life Pharmaceuticals Limited, and the National Chairman of Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP). In this interview with PharmaTimes Correspondent, GABRIEL IFINNWA, he gives an insight into how the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria can stop being import dependent, and why a pharmacist should be appointed as the Director General of NAFDAC. Excerpts: What are your achievements as National Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists (NAIP)? First, we set out (I and my executive) to ensure unity of purpose within the industry. That was the mandate we were given. Secondly, as an association we looked at ways we can improve on the welfare of our members. Also, to strategise on ways the profession can contribute to o...

May232017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Private Partnership In Strengthening Nigeria’s Health System: Prospects, Challenges And Way Forward

Interviews, NEWS

Involvement of Private entities to participate in healthcare strengthening has been a drive to achieve national health goals in Nigeria. Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Health is the collaboration of both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, working harmoniously to harness and optimise the use of all available resources, knowledge and facilities required to promote efficient, effective, affordable, accessible, equitable and sustainable healthcare for all people in Nigeria. PROSPECTS In the MDG era, National Policy on Public Private Partnership for health in Nigeria was adopted in 2004 to meet the healthcare need of the entire population. The involvement of Private interest groups and actors in healthcare provisioning was due to the deplorable national health profile and de...

May222017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

15 Million Nigerians Are Suffering From Asthma – Dr. Efosa Erhabor

Interviews, NEWS

A day in the month of May every year is set aside in which countries observe the World Asthma Day. It is an annual event organised to improve asthma awareness and care. Dr. Gregory Efosa Erhabor is a Professor of Medicine and Consultant Chest Physician at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; he is also the President & Founder, Asthma and Chest care Foundation in Nigeria, as well as Chairman, National Asthma Committee. In this interview with PharmaTimes Correspondent, GABRIEL IFINNWA, he sheds light on the prevalence of Asthma in Nigeria, and the need to create specialised centres to manage the condition in the country. What exactly is asthma? Asthma is a disease characterised by chronic airway inflammation making it difficult for someone to breathe. Usually respiratory symptoms su

May42017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

‘June Deadline Feasible for Dismantling Open Drug Markets’

Interviews

What has become of the Federal Task on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs? Federal Task on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs is a team that is supposed to be led by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and its primary responsibility is to carry out raids on illegal outlets that stock fake drugs in this country. That task force needs to be reactivated and be put to work to ensure that we try and clean up fake products in circulation. The Task Force is supposed to be supported by the State Task Forces on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs. Hence, it is a Federal and State issue still led by officers from NAFDAC, the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, PCN, the representatives of law enforcement agencies. During the military era, it was a robust task force that was ab...

Apr122017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Early intervention will produce great improvements in Autistic Children – Akande

Interviews, NEWS

Mrs. Dotun Akande is the founder and Proprietress of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre in Lagos. She is a strong advocate for Autism awareness in Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with GABRIEL IFINNWA, she speaks about the challenges facing children with autism in Nigeria, as well as roles parents can play in managing autistic children. What is Autism? Autism is a developmental disability that affects social and communication skills. People with Autism may find it difficult to understand how the world and people around them operate, and also find it hard to interact. In particular, people with Autism may have trouble learning, understanding and interpreting the unwritten rules of social interaction and relationships that most people without Autism can take for granted. What are...

Apr102017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Nigeria Needs to Invest in the Pharmaceutical Sector – NAPPSA, President

Interviews, NEWS

Dr. Nkere Ebube is the President of Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA). In this interview with PharmaTimes Correspondent, GABRIEL IFINNWA, he proffers solutions to the increasing high cost of drugs in the country. What is the mandate of NAPPSA? Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas, Inc. (NAPPSA) is an umbrella organisation of Nigerian pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, allied scientists and academia in the Americas. Our mission is to serve as a forum for interaction between Nigerian Pharmacists, Pharmaceutical Scientists and related healthcare professionals in a quest to improve research and development of drugs, education and pharmacy care in Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the worl...

Mar232017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Beware, No Child is Immune to Cancer – Expert warns

Interviews, NEWS

Dr. Nneka Nwobbi is the President of Children Living with Cancer Foundation (CLWCF), one of the few non-governmental organisations in Nigeria pioneering the fight against childhood cancer. In this interview with Gabriel Ifinnwa, she gives an insight into childhood cancer in Nigeria, and why parents need to pay close attention to their children. What is the difference between cancer in children, and adults? Childhood cancer, of course, occurs in children. And depending on the age of the child, there are different types. For instance, cancer of the kidney is most frequent in children age between 2 and 5 years. The outcome (prognosis) of childhood cancer is quite different compared to adults. Also, adult cancer is not as responsive as childhood cancer. We do not have breast cancer in childr...

Mar222017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Non-inclusion of Pharmacists on the Board of Federal Institutions is a Disservice – ACPN

Interviews, NEWS

Drug counterfeiting and the recent formal approval of the PharmD degree have continued to make the rounds across the health/pharmaceutical sectors, and among major stakeholders. The National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Albert Kelong Alkali, in this interview with PharmaTimes GABRIEL IFINNWA, spoke extensively on the activities of the association as it relates to these issues and other developments in Nigeria’s pharma industry. Excerpts: As President of the ACPN, what has been your major achievement? As National Chairman my major achievements have been in the areas of trainings (antibiotic resistance prevention, Respiratory diseases, body language and the use of hand writing in fraud detection, etc.) of our colleagues in collaboration with some ma

Jan242017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

Pharmamax has Declared War on Cardiovascular Diseases – KCH Manager

Interviews, NEWS

Mrs. Oge Ikeakanam is the Group Head of Regulatory Affairs at KCH. In this interview with PharmaTimes, she stated that Pharmamax, a member of the KCH group has declared war on cardiovascular diseases through efforts geared towards formulating high quality combination therapy for prevention and management of cardiovascular risks. She also spoke on the issue pertaining to drug counterfeiting among others. It is popular knowledge that cardiovascular diseases have become an alarming health concern both for the healthcare providers and the citizenry. What is your company’s contribution towards the prevention and management of cardiovascular risks in the country? You are correct on that notion. Basically, we are concerned about the rising incidence of Cardiovascular Diseases - p

Jan192017 by PharmaTimes1 Comment

Do not Patronise Quacks- Pharm. Adeleke

Interviews, NEWS

The former Chairman, Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ebenezer Adeleke, is one of the numerous professional stakeholders deeply worried by the spate of quackery about the pharmacy profession. He has a strong warning for the consuming public - to be wary of the dangers of patronising charlatans in the business. Adeleke believes all over the world it is an integral part of the role of the pharmacist to promote and advocate for the function of the pharmacist in improving health in his community and indeed every corner of the world. He is supposed to help sensitise the public on drug usage while highlighting the impact and added value of the pharmacy profession to the general public. On the recently concluded 89th Annual National Conference of the...

Jan52017 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

I hope to Come Back Home Someday – Nigerian Crowned UK’s Pharmacist of the Year

Interviews

Olutayo Arikawe had a great 2016 grabbing an award as Britain’s Pharmacist of the Year. A community pharmacist and pharmacist manager at Priory Community Pharmacy in Dudley, Arikawe had earlier won the Chemist and Druggist (C+D) Community Pharmacist of the Year and Pharmacy Manager of the year awards. As a visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton, she gives career advice and offers work placements for students. Arikawe spoke to journalists about her professional journey since relocating to the United Kingdom in 2005. Import of the ‘I Love My Pharmacist Award’ ‘The I Love My Pharmacist’ award was created by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the professional body for pharmacists in Great Britain, to showcase and celebrate the great work that pharmacists do for their

Dec262016 by PharmaTimesNo Comments

‘Govt should increase budget for vaccines’

Interviews, Latest Health News

Dr Chizoba Wonodi is the Country Director, Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) What is your assessment of vaccine availability in the country? Right now it is really good because there has been no stock out of routine vaccines in the last two years or so. But there will be funding gaps coming up, beginning from 2017 when the funding from GAVI will start to decline. We need to have our plans in place. We need to know how we are going to replace the money that is leaving from GAVI. We need to know how we are going to fund the additions of new vaccine that are going into the programs. Do you see government increasing funding for vaccines using the revenue from the country? I think that is even the best thing to do because if you consider the altern