₦airaland Forum

tpia@:
Itk is your problem.

True talk!!

TEXT OF A PRESS BRIEFING BY THE PRESIDENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (PSN) PHARM. AZUBIKE OKWOR,FPSN,FPCPHARM,FFIP, ON THE UNFORTUNATE MURDER OF CYNTHIA OSOKOGU HELD AT THE PHARMACY HOUSE, ANTHONY VILLAGE, LAGOS

PROTOCOL
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) joins millions of Nigerians to empathize with the family of the late Cynthia Osokogu who was lured by friends she met on facebook to Lagos where she was brutalized and eventually killed.

We also commend the Nigeria Police for the professional investigation that led to the arrest of the two young men who admitted openly to have committed the heinous crime.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is interested in a diligent and focused investigation of this murder which continues to attract so much interest from Nigerians to the extent that all found culpable will be made to face the full weight of the law, while innocent people are not unjustly arraigned, prosecuted and punished.

We note with concern the arraignment of two young Pharmacists who were charged along with the confessed suspects for rape, armed robbery, murder and administering of obnoxious substances. These are weighty charges that reflect the gravity of the offences that led to the death of this promising lady. We at Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) indeed perceive this loss as a great one to the Osokogus, friends, colleagues and all Nigerians.

The PSN after a critical appraisal of all issues at stake wishes to reflect thus:
b. The second Pharmacists, Pharm. Osita Orji is a Locum Pharmacist with Oxpharm and works evening shifts. The police visited Oxpharm on 21 August 2012 and requested to see Osita. When he got to the station, they alleged that he was the Pharmacist on duty when the suspected killer of Cynthia claimed they bought Rohypnol from Oxpharm. Osita made statement that he did not know the murderers, could not recall meeting them or selling Rohypnol to them and if they ever bought the Rohypnol from him while on duty that they must have presented him with a prescription. Osita was detained in Festac Police Area Command for two (2) days, then transferred to Panti from where he was taken to a Magistrate Court and charged

2) If the liability of the two pharmacists is limited to the sales or alleged sales of rohypnol to clients they do not know and never collaborated with in this condemnable crime then it is logical to believe that at best there might have been breaches of professional ethics. The law provides that such matters are dealt with by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria a regulatory agency of the Federal Government established by Cap. P.17 LFN 2004.


3) The drug in question Rohypnol is an intermediate acting benzodiazepam similar to diazepam (valium), nitrazepam (swidon) and bromazepam (lexotan).

Rohypnol is the brand name of the medicine flunitrazepam and is one of the benzodiazepine class of sedatives or tranquilizer drugs, of which valium or diazepam is perhaps the best known. It is used in the management of anxiety and sleep disorders (short term treatment of insomnia).

Rohypnol is made by Roche in Switzerland, registered with NAFDAC (Reg. No: 04 – 0150) and distributed in Nigeria by Swipha Nigeria Ltd. It is not a rare drug as being reported. It is available in Nigeria.
4) The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) counsels Nigerians to monitor the use of internet facilities by youths and children particularly because of volume and nature of information available.

5) We urge the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice in Lagos State to immediately review the cases of these pharmacists with a view to advising the relevant authorities on how best to tackle this matter and to ensure that the innocent is not persecuted albeit unjustly.

CONCLUSION
Gentlemen of the Press, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) assures Nigerians that it will continue to work with stakeholders including relevant regulatory agencies to evolve a National Strategy that will improve the use of medicines in Nigeria. In line with this, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has dedicated September 25, 2012 to continue the dialogue on safe medicines by collaborating with the National Human Rights Commission, Regulatory Agencies, Media and other stakeholders.

One of the salient lessons inherent in the discourse is that our youth while trusting must verify the relationship they make through the social media given the abuse potential.

Once again, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the entire Osokogu family. We pray that God will grant the family the fortitude to bear this loss.

Thank you.

Azubike Okwor FPSN,FPCPHARM,FFIP
President
August 30, 2012

KDULAR:
I AM INFORMING YOU THAT THERE EVEN IN THE DDA ( DANGEROUS DRUG ACT IN NIGERIA ) THIS PARTICULAR DRUG DOES NOT REQUIRE A MEDICAL DOCTORS PRESCRIPTION BEFORE YOU CAN DISPENSE. THE TRUTH IS WE GENERALISE ALL DRUGS DUE TO WHAT WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE BUT I AM TELLING YOU WITH ALL CONFIDENCE THAT THE GUY DID NOT ERR IN ANYWAY , HOWEVER, BEING AN INTERN, HE' SUPPOSSED TO BE UNDER SOMEONE ELSE' SUPERVISION. AND THAT IS A MINOR ISSUE PROFESSIONALLY AND THE PUNISHMENT IS NOT REALLY ON HIM . BUT IN THIS CASE A CASE WILL BE EASILY WON BY THE PHARMACIST AND THE PHARMACY . JUST WATCH. THE POLICE WILL BE DISGRACED IN THIS . THEY REALLY FEAST ON PEOPLES FEAR AND IGNORANCE.WHICH A LOT OF US ARE PERPETRATING EVEN ON THIS TOPIC. I NEED SOMEONE TO STATE ME AN AUTHORITY THAT'LL PROVE ME WRONG. CHIKENA

Flunitrazepam is a benzodiazepine. It IS a controlled drug and should NOT be dispensed without a prescription. And drug that has a potential for addiction is a controlled. Which means you don't just dispense without prescription. Even some antibiotics. Like "ordinary" ciprofloxacin should NOT be sold without prescription. Just cos here in nigeria anything goes does not make it right. In cases like dis where there's trouble you can't defend yourself cos u did NT do the right thing. Of cos been an intern. Makes it worse. As a registered pharmacist he might have been able to use his own initiative and WRITE a prescription for the drug. Still just dispensing 10 tabs @ once. HABA. But the fact is both he and the pharmacist he's working under will be held liable. but the punishment is a bit extreme, its the council that will sanction them and if the family should sue for wrongful death or negligence they have a case. But its not a criminal offence. Please let's correct this impression. These drugs ARE controlled and should be sold with prescription ONLY. Just cos u can walk into any pharm and buy diazepam does not make it right.

Okija_juju:
Now my friend.. Listen and listen good.. There is no point forming holier than thou.. I like millions of other Nigerians have bought prescription drugs over the counter without a valid prescription with no questions asked.. However, just because everyone is stealing does not make it any less of a crime.. Should we allow every criminal walk scot free because its standard practice?! If so, what was all the drama surrounding the Farouk and Bankole saga all about?! Afterall, the Police are corrupt, 98% of all public office holders are corrupt.. Infact, corrution is now a way of life and acceptable in nigeria that we might as well put it in the constitution as a civil right.. So from your logic, let all caught corrupt politicain, policeman, governor and co go scotfree because everyone is doing it..

or you to practice certain disciplines like Medicine, Pharmacy, Architecture and certain branches of engineering, you need to be fully certified by a professional body becuase any fhuck ups coukd lead to the death of a person of multitude..


Nonso should be used as an example for other pharmacists and doctors..

..

And a drug like rophypnol whose street name is 'THE DATE R'APE DRUG' should be given special attention by any reasonable pharmacist.. I wasn't joking when I sad a 'Chemist' not even a Pharmacy refused to sell Lexotan to me in the 90's sef.. And if you have never been asked for a prescription to buy prescription drugs in Nigeria, then maybe you need to stop patronizing roadside unaccredited (non-_green cross) Drug Storess.

I totally support your point. In as much as the way they are going about it is just. Plain victimisation, but health care professionals should be lot more careful in handling these drugs knowing any mistake can take a person's life. Go the extra mile in proper counselling before you dispense such drugs. 2 healthy young men should have absolutely NO need for such drug. Am not here to put blame on the young man but to plead to all pharmacist. Please wake up to your responsibilities as. Drug custodians, we say in Nigeria anything goes, but it doesn't have to be that way if the regulatory bodies do their jobs well. if there is any bad effect of a drug its on the pharmacist. Even if there's a prescription its still your job. To thoroughly scrutinise it and if for some reason you feel its not necessary please do not dispense. So many people are dying everyday from the nonchalant attitude these people have to their responsibilities as pharmacist. Its really bad....

Again an innocent person has fallen victim of a lawless society. Selling prescription only medications without prescription is like a "normal" thing. All of you here saying the guy committed an unpardonable offence, its easy to point fingers now that there's trouble. There are soooo many drugs that should be sold with prescription that yoù can walk into any pharmacy or even chemist and buy. Its nigeria, anything goes. Its sad really but that's the way it is. I can only hope this will serve as a lesson to pharmacist. Most of them are carried away with making money that they forget the ethics of their profession. If a young girl of like 18 walks into your pharmacy and tells you she's pregnant and needs drugs for abortion, you don't think of the effect it will have on her life, u think only of the money you ll make. then you "mix" drugs worth about 500 and tell her its 5000, because you know @ that point she ll pay anything. If a " big" man enters your shop and ask for lexotan, because you know he's ready to pay any amount you tell him you go ahead and sell it to him without asking for the prescription. The pharmacy profession has turned to a business no different from onitsha main market. Its really sad. Now a very young pharmacist is suffering it. Something I bet every single pharmacist in this country is guilty of. I pity the young
man because he's like the proverbial scapegoat.
@ op, your friend has committed a crime, worse even Because he's just an intern and not even registered so his defence is going to be tricky because he really should not have dispensed such a drug without a prescription. I wish him the best sha... I hope they ll temper justice with mercy.

Do your work diligently without trying to impress anyone, if u think it will buy u favors?? It won't cos @ the end of it all no one really cares. So do your work and don't kill yourself trying to take on more than you can do in other to please your boss.

Bosses avoid. Sending your juniors on non related office errands. Like going to bank or sch run! Frankly its just annoying.
Try. And avoid getting in the middle of an argument, office is nt the best place to. Practice favouritism. They are adults, let them work out their differences

Oh and my mum used to tell us if we fell sick she ll sell us and use the money to buy another baby, so whenever we were sick we ll pretend to be fine till we are almost dying! Lol

When I was a kid I used to think. "If for to say" was correct englishƠ̴̴͡.̮Ơ̴̴̴͡
I tot when I swallowed an orange seed, the tree will grow inside me.
My mom told me I used to say tomorrow when I was supposed to say yesterday. Lol

@ poster! If your boyfriend is really serious about you am sure he ll at least make plans for you to meet then before he writes off the whole thing, there's no harm in trial you know! All you have to do when you meet them is go down on both knees... And keep kneeling till someone tells you to stand! Trust me that will work! Like magic!lol. Anyway my ex was yoruba and me been ibo, I was the one that had reservations not him. It wasn't just about my family accepting him(which of cos they did not) it was about me not sure I wanted to go to yoruba land! When I knelt before his mom, wowwww the joy! I couldn't believe how such simple gesture could bring so much joy! His mom told me she doesn't mind him marrying an ibo girl as long as my parents give us their blessings too. And this guy was the ONLY son! I guess the point am trying to make is that I don't think yorubas are THAT tribalistic!

There are only 10 actors and actresses in the ENTIRE movie! Lol

Is there anything like a perfect relationship? The answer? YES! Don't confuse things, perfect pplee don't make perfect relationships. Infact the most stable relationship ave seen are of the two wiredest pple I know! The most prefect relationship ave had is with the strangest man ave ever met! Look for a perfect relationship, you ll find one! What you won't find is a perfect human being! Now THAT I'd like to see!

A thread opened by a psycho! *hisses and walks away*