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The Oyo State chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) over the weekend donated drugs worth N344,000 to the state while expressing support for the state’s newly established N50 billion Health Endowment Fund.
The chairman of PSN in the state, Mr Abiodun Ajibade, said the council provided the drugs for use in state and local government hospitals and health centres across the state.
The PCN also called on the state government to recruit more pharmacists in the hospitals to enhance healthcare delivery.
Ajibade, while handing over the drugs to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, said the gesture was aimed at reducing the cost spent by the state government in providing drugs in 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 of many of the pharmacies in the hospitals. Our donation of drugs in the sum of N344,000 today is to make a statement that PSN Oyo State branch is solidly behind the N50 billion state health endowment fund that was launched recently.”
The drugs handed over range from antacids to cough syrups, analgesics, vitamins, antibiotics, bottles of blood tonic.
The PCN chairman also urged the state government to give more attention to the refurbishing of many pharmacies in hospitals across the state.
Receiving the drugs, Adeduntan said primary health centres, particularly those in rural local government areas and local council development areas, will greatly benefit from the distribution of the drugs.
He pointed out those health centres where drugs were in short supply would get some preference in the distribution.
Adeduntan assured that the requests of the PSN would be given due attention.