PCN inducts 177 UNN pharmacy graduates
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), has inducted 177 fresh graduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) 2015/2016 session, Batch A, into the council.
Speaking during the induction, the Registrar of the council, Mr. Elijah Mohammed, urged the inductees to take their internship seriously stating that any opportunity lost could not be regained.
Mohammed described Pharmacy as a noble profession that guarantees graduates great opportunities and prospects of practicing in different fields of life and urged them to take their calling serious in order not to bring the council to disrepute.
He informed the inductees that the Pharmacy Council frowns at professional misconduct and that there is a punishment for misdemeanor if found guilty, pointing out the punishment could including withdrawal of practicing license.
“The council frowns at professional misconduct in its entirety. So, any form of misconduct by any pharmacist is usually investigated by the PCN investigating panel and if pharmacist has a cause to answer, he or she is referred to the disciplinary tribunal. Sentences such as removal of the pharmacist’s name from the pharmaceutical register for a given period could be passed.
“I want to state categorically that pharmacists today remain legally responsible for the safe and accurate dispensing of medication most especially ethical medicines, and additional responsibility as integral number of the health care team educate, monitor and care for patients,” the Council boss intimates.
In his address, Dean of the faculty, Prof. Godswill Onunkwo, urged the newly inductees to manage their success and make right choice at every point of their life.
Onunkwo advised them to be determined and never stop training themselves in life.
“My advice is that you should manage your success and make right choice in whatever situation you find yourself.
“Be determined and never stop training so as to update yourself in the profession,” he said.
He announced that the University senate has approved the establishment of Institute of Herbal Drug Excipient Research and Drug Development as well as Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology Biotechnology to be established in the faculty.
Out of the inductees, 20 of them were given cash awards ranging from N5, 000 to N50, 000 for performing creditably during their course of study.
Of the 21 graduands, Mr. Friday Ifeanyi Anazodo emerged the most outstanding graduate. He garnered N160, 000 cash award which was given by various pharmaceutical companies.
He emerged the overall best graduating student in both department and faculty.
In a valedictory speech, Anazodo said that before graduation, he had garnered other awards that enabled him to pay his school and departmental fees.
“I can vividly recall what the faculty’s cash prize and that of Late Dr. Sunday Nwafor memorial cash prize instituted by Dr. T. C. Akunne did for me following my top performance in the third Professional Pharmacology Examination. The two cash prizes were significant in the payment of my school fees in final year,” Anazodo declares.
