The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, in Onitsha on Thursday said it would take back the profession from quacks who have invaded it.
The Chairman of the Association, Nwamaka Nzewi said this during the 31st Annual State Conference tagged, “Peculiarities of Community Pharmacy Practice in Anambra State and the way forward”.
She called on her members not to relent in doing their job and always avail themselves in their stores so that quacks would not take over their jobs.
Mrs Nzewi said the event was “wonderful” as it aimed at encouraging members in fighting quackery in the pharmaceutical industry.
She disclosed that community Pharmacists were group of pharmacists who practised retail drugs and attend directly to the patients.
Anambra State Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Dr Emman Ude-Akpeh, described community pharmacists as legally qualified and trained health care professionals.
Mr Ude-Akpeh said they acted as a vital link between the patients and the prescribers.
He emphasised the need for practising pharmacists to always avail themselves in their stores and attend to patients, listen to them and counsel them accordingly, to take back their profession from quacks.
He lamented that most people who attended to patients were non-professional community pharmacists who waxed strong to overtake the professionals in their job.
NAN
