Ifeoma Akubue-IzunduVice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe, has charged fresh graduates of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University to be good ambassadors of their alma mater in all their future engagements.
Prof. Igwe gave the admonition during the 48th induction ceremony of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNN for the 2021/2022 session held on February 2, 2024 at the Princess Alexandria Auditorium (PAA).
A total of 403 students of the Faculty were inducted into the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) following the successful completion of the students’ academic career.
The vice chancellor admonished them to be of good conduct by shunning all forms of vices in the quest to make money as they would end up with regrets. He further advised them not to engage in peddling fake drugs in the course of running their businesses in the profession.
Prof. Igwe, while appreciating the parents and guardians of the inductees for their efforts, congratulated the students on their induction.
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In his words: “With utmost regards, I wish to appreciate the parents and guardians of the inductees in our midst today. I also wish to congratulate the graduating students, who have been certified in our citadel of learning to become part of those who would contribute to a better society.”
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He further appreciated the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Faculty for their commitment and zeal in nurturing and training the students despite daunting challenges.
While speaking on the topic: ‘Contemporary Pharmacy Practices: The Roles, Responsibilities and Functions of the Pharmacist, Hon. Pharm. Chika Ugwuoye, who was the keynote speaker at the event, commended the lecturers in the faculty stating that he had confidence in the fact that they taught the students in line with the contemporary times. He noted that the pharmacist of the current times and that of the early 2000s (as at when he graduated in 2002) were not the same as the curriculum were different.
He equally pointed out that their curriculum was enriched for the contemporary practice.
He further explained that the contemporary pharmaceutical practice is characterized by “an evolution that reflects the modern demands of medical healthcare system.”
Pharm. Ugwuoye also stated that he would be excited to see advanced innovations such as the automated Pharmacy in the university which would be self serviced and pleaded for the assistance of the vice chancellor in ensuring that such comes to reality.
Joining his voice to the keynote speaker’s appeal, ex-president, Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS) UNN, Pharm. Dickson Ugwu, bemoaned the lack of infrastructural facilities in the faculty.
Ugwu who was one of the inductees, described the number of students in the faculty as “enormous”, adding that their laboratories were in very bad shape and unable to contain the students during their practical exercises. He equally noted that the poor laboratory equipment formed a part of the reasons for their last protest.
According to him, “Our labs cannot contain the students not to talk of the reagents being available for use. What led to the protest we had during my regime as president, was due to the lab issues and a couple of other facts.
“If you come to pharmacology lab, you would find out that students that partake in one group may be up to 100 and the functional chemo graph that would be used could just be maximum of two per group. How do you expect a hundred students to use one or two chemo graphs for their practicals? It’s really really bad,” he lamented.
“The size of our laboratories is like a mini nursery classroom. An expansion or upgrade would be fine,” he added.
He also decried the hoarding of a new machine by the faculty given to students by an alumni.
According to him, “our alumni gave us a new advanced tabulating machine. But since it was brought, we’re yet to use it. We’re still using our manual tabulating machine.”
He also raised concern about leakage of the roof of their pharmacology laboratory, describing it as “an old house that leaks water.”
He further lamented about their chemistry laboratory which was currently being used by both the junior and senior students as that of the senior chemistry lab was burnt, adding that the environment was not conducive anymore for pharmacy students to learn.
While comparing the faculty building in UNN to the one in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Ugwu stated that the one building the faculty had in UNN was the same for just a department as the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences was made up of seven departments.
“They have many big infrastructure and I don’t know why it’s not that way in UNN,” he said.
Speaking on the specific areas that required attention, the PANS UNN ex-president stressed the need to have another building in order to expand the laboratories as well as making available, the reagents, which he said would go a long way in aiding teaching and learning.
Dignitaries tnat graced the occasion were the registrar of PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashegun Ahmed, the chairman PCN, Enugu State, Prof. Ikechukwu Onyishi, deans of various faculties and heads of various departments in UNN.
