From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has inducted 322 fresh graduates from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) into the council.
The Registrar of the PCN, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed,while administering the Oath-Taking and Induction to the 2020/2021 session graduands in Nsukka yesterday, urged them to maintain high ethical and leadership standards set by the council, stressing that the council would not hesitate to sanction any member who failed to adhere to the ethics of the profession.
He said that the oath-taking and induction ceremony is one of the criteria required by the PCN Act 2022 before registration is granted to anyone as a pharmacist.
“As you take the oath today and become inducted as members of the pharmacy profession, I urge you to maintain high ethical conduct and leadership standard set forth by the PCN and endeavour to serve as an example for the achievement of excellence in the provision of quality pharmaceutical services for sustainable health care delivery in Nigeria.
“PCN abhors professional misconduct in its entirety, therefore any member found guilty of any professional misconduct risks withdrawal of his or her practice certificate by the council, so you must respect the code of conduct of the profession.
“The second phase of your pharmacy training starts with the compulsory one-year statutory internship programme. I enjoin you all to take this one year very seriously as there may not be opportunities to make up for any time wasted.
“I wish to also inform the graduands that you are expected to pass Pre-registration Examination (PEP) for Pharmacist after your internship to be eligible to practice in Nigeria,’ he said.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof Charles Igwe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration)), Prof Pat Okpoko, congratulated the graduates for their hard work and commitment that made it possible for them to be inducted into PCN.
The VC urged them to be good ambassadors of the university by adhering to the ethics of the pharmacy profession as well as being patriotic to the country.
Also in a remark, Prof. Ikechukwu Onyishi, Dean Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, UNN said that the faculty celebrated its golden jubilee in April 2022 in which they listed numerous achievements of the faculty in areas of quality manpower, quality teaching, learning, and quality graduates that have made positives impact in the pharmaceutical industry.
“The faculty has produced and continued to produce in the pharmaceutical subsector in particular and the health sector, in general, both in Nigeria and globally.
“The faculty is proud of our alumni because they have remained good ambassadors and have done the faculty proud,” he said.
Onyishi expressed appreciation to all the staff and alumni members of the faculty who contributed in one way or the other to make the 47th induction and oath-taking ceremony for 2020/2021 graduates of the faculty a huge success.
The Dean applauded the parents and guardians for their sacrifices in investing in their children’s education and at the same time said that the faculty is proud of the discipline, character, and athos exhibited by them during their journey in UNN.
Mr. Uchenna Nwana, the Managing Director, Syiken LTd, (Marketers of Nature’s Field Range of Product) who chaired the occasion urged the graduands who would be doing their internship in different areas such as Industrial Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy, Regulatory Pharmacy, among others to adhere to the code and ethics of the profession.
In a keynote address, Mr. Nnoli Nnaji, a member representing Nkanu East and Nkanu West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly said that a well-nurtured behaviour, ethics, and attitudes such as proper bookkeeping, flexibility, commitment, sociability, lenience, diligence alongside sincerity and responsibility constitute the backbone of pharmaceutical professionalism.
“Most characteristics of professionalism are rarely obtained or learned from textbooks, tutorials, and lectures, but can be obtained and instilled via professional socialisation practice,” he said.
Chinenyenwa Ugorji was announced by Prof Onyishi as the overall best-graduated student of the faculty for the 2020/2021 session.