The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, says it is ready to support the Anambra State government and major stakeholders in the drug distribution value chain to see to the realization of the Coordinated Wholesale Centre, CWC, project sited in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, Pharmacist Ibrahim Ahmed stated this in a press briefing in Awka shortly after a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the drug manufacturing and distribution value chain in Anambra State.
The Coordinated Wholesale Centre for medicines is an initiative of the National Drug Distribution Guideline, NDDG, designed to ensure easier control and sanity in drug distribution in the country.
The establishment of the CWC is targeted to end open drug markets in the country, thereby reducing the tendency for the distribution of fake, adulterated and counterfeit medicines.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo on assumption of office to prioritize the project, allocated land for the project site and laid the foundation stone for the project in less than three months in office.
Commending the Anambra State government for its magnanimity in ensuring that the state becomes one of the few states in the country to implement that component of the NDDG, Pharmacist Ahmed insisted that the CWC is thought to be a private sector driven initiative and called on stakeholders and investors in the pharmaceutical sector in the state to own the project and ensure its quick takeoff.
He, however, said that the council will continue in an ongoing interaction with the state government to facilitate the easy and smooth completion of the project and expressed optimism that the project when completed will not only entrench sanity in drug distribution, but will also create direct and indirect jobs, reduce criminality, improve the state’s economy and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, increase medical tourism into the state and generally impact positively on the entire health sector.
The PCN Registrar also revealed that the engagement was to sensitize stakeholders that the council will not compromise on standards so as to consolidate on international best practices in the country and boost the confidence and trust of the international drug market on the Nigerian distribution value chain.
Pharm. Ahmed urged them to wake up and uproot all the obstacles preventing the take-off of the project and to ensure that the project is commissioned by next year.
The Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, was flanked during the briefing by senior officials in the country, representatives of professional’s associations and industry stakeholders.
PCN is a Federal Government parastatal established by the PCN Act 2022, charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling pharmacy education, training and practice in all aspects and ramifications, including regulating Pharmacy Technicians and Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors.
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