AN OPEN LETTER TO
PROFESSOR JULIUS OKOJIE
( EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES
COMMISSION) .
Dear sir,
PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME
FOR INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (PRESSID)
Sir, I must commend the effort of the Federal
Government of Nigeria and the National
Universities Commission under your administration
in a bid to develop a crop of professionals who
would serve as catalysts of change and agents of
scientific and technological advancement as well
as sustainable economic development.
Research as the bedrock of innovation and
development has been defined as a methodical
investigation into a subject in order to discover
facts, to establish or revise a theory or to develop
a plan of action based on the facts discovered.
Research has shown to be a key instrument for
achieving socio-economic development of any
society
Pharmaceutical Research is that aspect of research
that pertains to the discovery, development,
manufacture, preparation, dispensing or sale of
drugs used in healthcare services. Pharmaceutical
research has contributed immensely to the
discovery and production of drugs, however, most
of the new knowledge about drugs are created by
researchers from industrialized countries which
often do not meet the actual needs of developing
countries, especially Africa, particularly Nigeria.
Consequently, African countries have been
challenged to produce their own drugs, and not to
rely on multinational Pharmaceutical giants to help
fight diseases ravaging the continent.
Worthy of mention is the antisickling agent
( NICOSAN ). This indigenous antisickling agent
researched and developed by Nigerian Pharmacist
at the National Institute for Pharmaceutical
Research and Development is obtained from the
mixture of four Nigerian Plant materials. It was
shown to be a safe and efficacious medicine for
the management of patients with sickle cell
disease. It has been used for:-
(1) prophylactic management of Sickle cell disease.
(2) it has potent antisickling effect on sickled
erythrocytes obtained from patients with Sickled
Cell Disease, thus, useful in preventing painful
crises experienced by Sickle cell disease patients.
(3) it reduces hypoxic stress experienced by the
patients ( due to trapping of Sickled cells in the
lungs )
(4) it removes the incidence of blood transfusion in
sickle cell disease patients
(5) it prevents clinical Sequel (i.e) painful crisis
(6) it prevents ocular damage, and ultimately it was
found to be non toxic.
This noble ingenuity as demonstrated by Nigerian
Pharmacists in the Research and Development of
NICOSAN has put us in the forefront in the
discovery of Pharmaceuticals worldwide.
The most recent trend globally in Pharmaceutical
Research and Development is BioPharmaceuticals,
and any other Professional aside Pharmacists
championing this course would obviously be
putting on the wrong cap. It would also interest
you sir to note that a multinational Pharmaceutical
company ( GSK – GlaxoSmithKline ) is currently
seeking approval for the world’s first Malaria
vaccine. Malaria, as we all know is a disease
ravaging the fabric of our country. My question
now is; why must we sit and wait for others to
help solve our problems?
It’s on this ground Sir, that I solemnly make a
case and an appeal for Graduates of the Schools of
Pharmacy be included in the Presidential Special
Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and
development (PRESSID) provided we meet the set
criteria.
I watched the first edition of PRESSID come and go,
and felt it was actually an oversight on the part of
the committee “in-charge”. However, with the
Second edition underway, and Pharmacy Graduates
were yet again excluded, then, I am forced to make
an open appeal on Swank Pharm’s Blog ( http://
www.swankpharm.com ).
Considering the rigorous training we are subject to
in the school of Pharmacy, and the relatively
successful track records of our predecessors in the
profession, am optimistic that the younger crop of
Pharmacists can deliver if and only if we are given
the requisite knowledge and the enabling
environment.
Sir, I shall be glad if your good office is used to
effect this change, and Nigerian Graduates of the
Schools of Pharmacy be included in the
Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for
Innovation and development.
Yours Faithfully.
Pharm. Oyewande Ajibola.
Email: oye4ril@yahoo.com
Twitter handle: @ph_aji
(Pharm. Oyewande Ajibola is a graduate of the
School of Pharmacy University of Maiduguri).