UNIBEN holds 149th inaugural lecture

The vice chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof Friday Orumwense, said over the years, the inaugural lectures of the university have been an avenue where scholars educate members of the university on their achievements in their fields of research.The guest lecturer, a Consultant in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Prof Ambrose Isah, while delivering the lecture said the […]

The vice chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof Friday Orumwense, said over the years, the inaugural lectures of the university have been an avenue where scholars educate members of the university on their achievements in their fields of research.
The guest lecturer, a Consultant in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Prof Ambrose Isah, while delivering the lecture said the role of clinical pharmacologist is very important in order to have safe drugs in the society.
He said as custodians, they are caretakers of drugs and monitor the drug lifecycle and also act as ombudsman by regulating movement of drugs.
He stated that as arbiter, the clinical pharmacologist serve as judge to the kinds of drugs entering the market.
Prof Isah explained that his interest in clinical pharmacology was spurred after reading a journal titled, ‘Adverse Drug Reaction Bulletin’ at the Prof Latunde Odeku Memorial library of the University of Ibadan in 1977.
He noted that his involvement in drug research led to the establishment of the Pharmacology Vigilance Centre at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) which is the first if its kind in South-south Nigeria.
However, he urged government to immediately address the cost of drugs, taxes and tariff of medicines and to make drug information available to people.
According to the don, there is need for government to urgently support the National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with fund to carry out her function and proper legislation regarding use of medicines.
Uwoghiren is a 300L student of Medicine and Surgery, University of Benin