PRESENTATION OF THE YOUNG PHARMACIST FORUM (YPF) ABUJA AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE ELDERS FORUM OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY

OF NIGERIA (PSN), ABUJA BRANCH, AND THE SENDFORTH OF PHARM INUSA BELLO.
PRESENTED BY: Innocent Chinedu Udemezue. VENUE: Gracious Hotel, Garki II, Abuja DATE: 15 March, 2008
th

The Chairman of the Occasion, Senator (Pharm) Mrs. Ufot Ekaette, FPSN; The Special Guest of Honour, Senator (Pharm) Eme Eferekaya, MD; The Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) Alhaji A. T. Morah, FPSN, FPCPharm; The Director General, NIPRD, Dr S. Iyang here represented; The Chairperson, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm Zainab Shariff; Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria; General Manager, MTN Nigeria, Pharm Inusa Bello, MAW; Distinguished Members of the Elders Forum of PSN Abuja, Nigeria; Distinguished Members of the High Table; Distinguished Guest; Professional Colleagues; Members of the Young Pharmacists Forum; Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am very delighted and honored to welcome all you all to the send forth dinner in honor of Pharm Inusa Bello and the inauguration of members of the Elders Forum and Local Organizing Committee of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigerias National Conference scheduled for November, 2008 here in Abuja. I bring with me the sincere regards of Young Pharmacists Forum (YPF), Abuja and would like to seize the opportunity this day presents to evaluate once again the strategies for surmounting the challenges that confront Young Pharmacists in Abuja and at large, and to solicit the support of all elders of the profession in ensuring that a greater promises, abundant opportunities and brighter future is available to all pharmacists young and old. This event is of paramount importance to us because Pharm Inusa Bello whom we send-forth today is one of our most distinguished patrons who have shown consistent interest in helping young pharmacists this noble profession to initiate the change that we desire. Therefore it with great enthusiasm that I seize this opportunity of behalf of my colleagues to express our passionate love for our noble profession and our resolve to join hands with all stake holder to take the profession to its rightful place and position in the scheme of things. Young and recently qualified pharmacist have unique interests, challenges and expectations. To enable young pharmacists get involved in building a greater pharmacy profession, the young pharmacist group (YPG) was launched in 2001,within the structure of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) to encourage more young pharmacist to get involved in international pharmaceutical activities. Connecting, empowering, and developing young pharmacists for leadership and excellence is what this group stands for and by translation that is what the Young Pharmacist Forum, Abuja stands for. The Young Pharmacists Forum will bring members of the society and encourages them to act as critical and innovative force. We seek to become a catalyst for change, uniquely capable of connecting resources and ideas with knowledge, energy and productive actions. The result is lasting improvement in the lives of young pharmacist in Abuja and beyond. We commend the efforts of the current Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Abuja branch, Pharm Mrs. Zainab Shariff and the entire executives who have demonstrated strong commitment to promoting the activities of the young organization in Abuja, Nigeria. I believe this commitment is in realization of the fact that the young organization cannot thrive without the support and promotion of the leaders of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Abuja branch. We seek to establish a platform where everyone will see how the YPF Abuja branch and its prospective partners (foundations, corporate organization, government agencies, multinational companies and well-meaning stakeholders) around the world would work to improve the conditions and prospects of young pharmacist and by extension all pharmacists where they live, work, learn and play. We will mobilize resources and expertise throughout the nation and beyond to address the growing challenges facing todays young pharmacists and the society at large. We will also ensure the empowerment of all young pharmacists with the resources and opportunities to use their talent more productively. Despite the efforts made by the national leadership and well-meaning stakeholders of our great society in addressing the problems facing the profession, vast majority of young pharmacists are dissatisfied with the position they and their senior colleagues find themselves in todays world. There seems to be so much disparity between the welfare, opportunities and remuneration packages of pharmacist both in the private and public sectors. Interns and Corpers pharmacists deployed to Abuja are facing the challenge of securing affordable accommodation while their counterparts

are given those privileges at the very same institutions where they provide professional services. We need to institute mechanisms that will bring jobs and better welfare and greater opportunities to the door steps of all pharmacists. We also need the support of our elders and all stake holders to ensure that the following goals and objectives amongst others are achieved. i). institutionalizing a dynamic empowerment platform at local and international level to improve the capacities of young pharmacists to meet todays and tomorrows challenges. This we intend enable us to strengthen our personal development and career skills through a range of workshops covering areas that are pertinent to local, national and global recruitment process in the world of work. In addition, this will create avenues to explore the role and opportunities created by management information systems and information technology. ii) All this measures above will eventually improve young pharmacists employability, entrepreneurial skills and economic success as a way to build the capacity for and engagement in productive work. They will also inspire support and promote young pharmacists engagement as leaders and drivers of positive change, as a way to foster a lifelong commitment to elevating a more befitting image and status for the profession. The forum sincerely solicits the support of every member of this great society. We hope to foster a productive relationship with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. We will also work with the national arm of the Young Pharmacist Group in ensuring that young pharmacist are actively involved in the activities of the pharmaceutical society of Nigeria. We will do our best to ensure that the forthcoming national conference of the Pharmaceutical Society Nigeria is a huge success. In closing, I wish to on behalf of the Young Pharmacist Forum in Abuja congratulate Pharmacist Inusa Bello on his promotion. I am also pleased to congratulate all the members of the Elders Forum here constituted. To all the young pharmacists here present, thank you for your active involvement and commitments so far. Thank you all. Innocent Chinedu Udemezue Chairman, Young Pharmacist Forum, Abuja and Ag. Public Relations Officer, PSN, Abuja Branch