By Samson Yaki and Fatima Zahra Aliyu
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has warned newly inducted pharmacists against ethical misconduct, as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria inducted 106 graduates into the Pharmacy profession.
Speaking at the oath-taking and induction ceremony in Zaria on Thursday, the Registrar of PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim B. Ahmed, said the event was a statutory requirement under the PCN Establishment Act, 2022, marking the completion of the first phase of the graduates’ professional training.
The Registrar cautioned the new Pharmacists against what he described as the “register-and-go syndrome” and all forms of dishonesty, stressing that the Council would not hesitate to sanction erring practitioners.
“The PCN Act provides for an Investigative Panel and a Disciplinary Tribunal to address cases of professional misconduct. Strict compliance with the Code of Professional Ethics is indispensable,” he said.
He explained that the 106 inductees must undergo a compulsory one-year internship in PCN-accredited centres and pass the Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP) before being fully licensed to practise.
According to him, the PEP, conducted twice yearly in March and October, serves as a quality assurance mechanism aligned with global best practices and resolutions of the World Health Organization, as well as directives of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health.
Ahmed urged the graduates to embrace lifelong learning through the Council’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme to remain relevant amid rapid technological advancement, increasing disease burdens, drug resistance and public health emergencies.
“As frontline health workers, pharmacists must be prepared to offer professional advice and interventions, particularly during emergencies such as COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks,” he said, encouraging them to obtain certification in vaccine storage and administration in line with global trends.
Earlier in his address, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University, Professor Mohammed Garba Magaji, described the induction as historic, noting that the 106 graduands represent the highest number produced by the Faculty in more than three decades.
He traced the Faculty’s evolution from its establishment in 1968 as a department under the Faculty of Sciences to its elevation to a full-fledged faculty in 1977, highlighting its record of producing Pharmacists who have distinguished themselves nationally and internationally.
The Dean reminded the inductees that their degrees were awarded “in character and in learning” and urged them to serve as worthy ambassadors of the University and the Profession.
In his remarks, the Special Guest of Honour, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Igbinedion University Okada, advised the new Pharmacists to embrace digital innovation and expand their competencies beyond core pharmaceutical sciences.
He urged them to acquire skills in information technology, public health, management and global pharmaceutical business to remain competitive in the evolving healthcare landscape, expressing confidence that they would contribute meaningfully to healthcare delivery in Nigeria and beyond.