The immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, on Friday unveiled safe medicine foundation (SFM) to sustain the fight against fake and falsified drugs in the country.
“It really hurts to see fake or substandard and falsified products circulating in our country maiming innocent citizens”, he declared during a send forth dinner organized for him by friends and associates in Lagos.
The solemn ceremony also featured the launch of Yakasai’s book, “The Power of Advocacy” which chronicled his achievements in office as PSN President from 2015-2018.
Daily Trust reports that as the President of the professional body, he undertook various initiatives aimed at creating awareness about the prevalence of drug abuse especially among youths.
He therefore set up the foundation alongside Dr. (Pharm) Ifeanyi Okechukwu and Dr. Chimezie Anyakora as a “go-to resource that can help consumers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies, policy makers and the government navigate the increasing complex and dangerous world of substandard and falsified medicines”.
Yakasai explained that the foundation would, among others raise public awareness of the harms to consumer safety caused by substandard and falsified fake medicines and advocate for policies and programmes that will improve patient safety.
He said, “So together, let’s make a positive impact and rescue our people and it can be you or me as a victim. Improving safe access to essential medicines is crucial in tackling ill-health and reducing infant and maternal mortality rate, which, sadly is very high in our country.
“As we all know, essential medicines save lives and improve health when they are available, affordable, of assured quality and properly used. Hence, our citizens around the nooks and crannies of Nigeria deserve access to safe, standard, efficacious and cost-effective medicines”.
Chairman of the event and Managing Director/CEO of Fidson Healthcare PLC, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae hailed the initiative which he said would be supported by all pharmaceutical stakeholders.
Former PSN President, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo warned against self-medication especially in Nigeria where people have unlimited access to medicines.
“This is a country where we have well over two, three million premises where people sell medicines and probably less than 30,000 out-patient medicine stores”, he said.
