Nigeria is currently maintaining the first spot in breast cancer disease in the West Africa region. In the same vein, the country is also second only to the neighbouring Niger Republic on the issue of infant mortality.
These were the startling revelations by a university don, Prof Noel Wannang, a renowned pharmacologist and clinical pharmacist during the pharmacy week seminar organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Akwa Ibom chapter yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.
Addressing participants at the forum with the theme: “Pharmacists Strengthening the Health Systems,” Prof Wannang, who is also a Council member West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy, lamented that health outcomes remain poor in Nigeria despite higher expenditure since 2001, stressing that better outcomes are seen in countries with equivalent and lower expenditure.
He said, “Life expectancy in Nigeria now stands at 60 years for males and 64 years for females, infant mortality stands at 54. 74 deaths per 1000 live births which places Nigeria only second to Niger republic.”
The state chairman of PSN, Abasiama Uwatt, who highlighted the importance of advocacy in ensuring the success of the job of pharmacists explained that Akwa Ibom State will soon have a drug information centre.
She said, “Drug Information Centre is one of the requirements from the World Health Organisation from developing countries. In Nigeria, currently we have very few and Akwa Ibom State does not have a drug Information Centre for now.”
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