The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), in Oyo State has expressed support for the establishment of the state’s N50 billion Health Endowment Fund.
The state’s PSN Chairman, Abiodun Ajibade, expressed the council’s support for the fund while handing over drugs estimated at N344, 000 to the state at the weekend.
Mr Ajibade said the council provided the drugs for use in states’ and local governments’ hospitals as well as health centres across the state. The PCN urged the state government to recruit more pharmacists for hospitals to boost healthcare delivery.
Ajibade, who handed the drugs to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, said the gesture was aimed at reducing the money the state government spent on providing drugs to its hospitals and primary health centres.
He said: “I will like to reiterate the need to employ more pharmacists to man many of the health facilities in the state. There is also the need for refurbishing and face-lifting many of the pharmacies in the hospitals.
“Our donation of drugs worth N344, 000 today is to make a statement that the PSN in Oyo State is solidly behind the N50 billion state’s Health Endowment Fund that was launched recently.”
The donated drugs comprise antacids to cough syrups, analgesics,vitamins, antibiotics and bottles of blood tonic.
The PCN chairman urged the state government to give more attention to the refurbishing of many pharmacies in hospitals across the state.
Adeduntan said primary health centres, particularly those in rural local government areas and local council development areas, would benefit from the distribution of the drugs.
By Haruna Gimba
