The name Pharmacist Professor Cyril Odianose Usifoh needs no introduction in Nigerian Pharmaceutical Industry.

Not only because the Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin where he was a two time Dean of the faculty has served as PSN Chairman in Edo State, nor because he was Chairman of the National Association of Pharmacists in Academia, Editor in Chief, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria but because he rose through the ranks and has been an active, leading and participatory member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria of which he now runs for the office of presidency.

The renowned Pharmacist who became a professor in the year 2003 shared some of his vision and what he hopes to achieve if elected as President of PSN in an Exclusive Interview with CEOAFRICA.

“I believe I have the pedigree having served as PSN Chairman in Edo State, Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia and I was two-time Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy University of Benin. I also believe that I can build on the existing legacies and bring to bear what we currently need in the pharmaceutical industry.

“My vision is to have a united and progressive pharmacy family where Pharmacist are respected and increasingly relevant and adequately renumerated for their invaluable role while networking with health team members and other professionals for the growth and development of the society.

“The mission is to ensure that medicines are available and we will be able to project pharmacy in the limelight so that Pharmacists will get what they deserve.”

On what he plans to do to improve the plight of Community Pharmacists in their effort for recognition as primary health care providers, Usifoh added “I would strengthen advocacy such that the Community Pharmacists are recognized as Primary Health Care Providers according to the National health care Insurance Act of 2014.

“If this is implemented that would make Community Pharmacists more visible, relevant and accessible to patients and at the end of the day Nigerians will always benefit better because Pharmaceutical Care will be brought to their doorstep.”

The PSN Presidential candidate reiterated his message of hope for the pharmaceutical industry if elected into the position adding that, he plans to bring into action the recently approved Pharm D program by the federal government.

“We will institutionalize the Pharm D program at the consultancy cadre which has been recently approved by the Federal Government. We have in Edo State been able to get it approved across board for all Local government and State parastatals of which we will replicate that in other states at federal level.

“It’s important that we are able to pull this through such that our relevance in health care delivery working with other health care providers will become more important and we can actually pull this through.

“We also hope to push the production of essential medicines by helping the local industry, we will advocate that strongly and when we don’t have some of this drugs that can easily be produced in the country,we will make sure that they are not in short supply.

“We will also enrich the industry such that development will be properly carried out and that will also make the participation of Academic Pharmacists and Industrial Pharmacists synergize together to bring safe medicine to the doorsteps of Nigerians.

“In addition, we also hope to look at the National Drug Distribution guidelines and work strongly for the total implementation because when we have that we will be able to avoid the chaotic drug situation we have in the country and Pharmacists will be able to not only get the benefits but the patients will get standard drugs.”

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria will be swearing in a new President in November this year to take over the helm of affairs from the Pharm Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa's led administration and with the quality and calibre of all the contestants, one must admit that it would be a highly contested and competitive process.