By Yunus S Saliu
The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), on Tuesday, 16th April 2024 inducted and accepted new Fellows into the College during an official opening of the 36th Annual General Meeting, Scientific Symposium, and 66th Council Meeting held in Banjul in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of The Gambia.
The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, an agency of the West African Health Organisation, held this year’s AGM, Scientific Symposium, and 66th Council Meeting under the theme ‘Medicine Safety,’ with the keynote address delivered by Dr. Edit A Annan from WHO Afro Office, Congo Brazzaville, and Sambo Sowe – Director of Science and Technology at the Ministry of Higher Education – representative of Professor Pierre Gomez, Gambian Minister of Higher Education.
At the opening, a total of eighty-one students were inducted as Fellows in various specialties offered by the College, having successfully passed the final examinations of the four-year Fellowship program, while the program also witnessed the investiture of two Honorary Fellows, five Foundation Fellows from three Francophone countries (Benin, Senegal, Togo), and one Lusophone country (Guinea Bissau); nine Elected Fellows from the West African region.
Addressing the gathering, Alhaji Murtada Sesay, President of West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy, with pleasure, welcomed the gathering to the AGM and among other things, enjoined members to explore The Gambia, a globally coveted tourist destination.
He noted that every year the members meet for an AGM and Scientific Symposium in a member state to deliberate on topical health issues and arrive at decisions that guide their contribution to regional health and also use the occasion to induct and accept new Fellows into the College.
Meanwhile, he enjoined the gathering to observe a minute silence for the departed souls noting that since their last AGM in Monrovia, some of their beloved colleagues who had contributed to the development of their college passed away.
“However, as new challenges present and old problems manifest in new guises, we remain duty-bound to respond intellectually and practically to protect and promote public health. For example, the recent problem and evolution of Acute Kidney Injury,” he highlighted.
Further highlighting the challenges, he said the overall goal of the pharmacists is to improve health care delivery in the region.
Speaking earlier, Mrs. Markieu Janneh Kaira, President Pharmaceutical Society of The Gambia gave a brief insight into WAPCP saying it conducts a Postgraduate Professional Training Programme leading to Fellowship awards to meet the expanding roles of Pharmacists worldwide and the changing needs of the Society in Pharmaceutical Care.
She went on that Noble College continues to encourage the enrolment of students for the Fellowship programs as one of its key goals is to improve health outcomes with the fervent aim of increasing the numbers of the much-needed pharmaceuticals manpower and improving their technical knowledge and skills.
Mr. Jimmy Olu Coker, Gambia Chapter Chairman reminded the members of the theme, saying the theme and subthemes of this scientific symposium are Medicines Safety and Pharmacovigilance, “A Regional imperative for an operation safety and Pharmaceutical System Strengthening.”
He noted that the African challenge in both the themes and subthemes is very timely considering the menace of medicines, misuse, and abuse in the sub-region.
Mr. Coker however congratulated the new graduands, who have worked very hard to be inducted as Fellows of the prestigious College, while welcoming their colleagues from the Francophone countries who were newly inducted as Fellows of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists.