AWKA — Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has called on the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to partner with his administration in the fight against fake and counterfeit drugs, urging pharmacists to strengthen professional oversight and help identify illegal medicine outlets.
Soludo made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 99th Annual National Conference of the PSN, tagged Ijele 2026, at the International Convention Centre, Awka.
He urged the society’s leadership to ensure that its members operate within the law and help identify and eliminate fake drug outlets operating under the guise of registered pharmacies.
“We must work together to eliminate fake and counterfeit drugs from our society,” the governor said, stressing that the fight required collective responsibility and stronger professional accountability.
Soludo described pharmacists as indispensable partners in building a healthy and productive society, while reaffirming Anambra’s ambition to strengthen its position as a major pharmaceutical hub in Nigeria.
Highlighting his administration’s healthcare initiatives, the governor said the state had revitalised its primary healthcare system and introduced a zero-cost antenatal care programme that had benefited more than 250,000 pregnant women.
He also said the programme had supported over 900 free caesarean deliveries.
On pharmaceutical development, Soludo disclosed that his administration was developing a dedicated pharmaceutical hub in Oba, alongside a Coordinated Wholesale Centre, with the projects expected to strengthen medicine production and distribution. The wholesale centre is expected to be completed in early 2027.
The governor also highlighted his administration’s education reforms, including free education from kindergarten to secondary school, which he said had reduced the state’s out-of-school children rate to 0.25 per cent.
Earlier, PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, thanked Soludo for his support for the pharmaceutical profession and for hosting the society’s annual conference in Anambra.
Ibrahim said bringing the conference to the state fulfilled a personal commitment and commended the governor’s support for the profession.
The conference, themed “One Health, One Pharmacy: Bridging Knowledge, Practice and Policy for National Impact,” brings together pharmacists and other stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening pharmaceutical practice and improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Soludo was later presented with an award of excellence in recognition of his support for the pharmaceutical profession.