35TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM OF THE WEST AFRICAN POSTGRADUATE COLLEGE OF PHARMACISTS (WAPCP) HELD AT THE PAYNESVILLE CITY HALL, PAYNESVILLE, LIBERIA,
FROM MONDAY 20TH – FRIDAY 24TH MARCH, 2023

COMMUNIQUÉ
The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) held the Opening Ceremony of the 35th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Symposium at the Paynesville city hall, Liberia from 20th to 24th March 2023. Participants came from the five(5) Member countries-The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Prof Serigne Omar Sarr from the Republic of Senegal (Francophone Country) was also present at the Opening ceremony. The theme of the Conference was "Substance abuse: a threat to future workforce",with the sub-themes. The Consultant Pharmacist: taking the responsibility for mitigating substance abuse' and ’Substance abuse as a disease’.

The Chairman of the occasion was Honourable Shankar Jhamni, President & Chief Executive Officer of Lucky Development Corporation, Liberia. The Special Guest of Honour was the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhemina S. Jallah, a Public Health Physician and a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians.

Goodwill messages were delivered by His Excellency Godfrey A. E. Odudigbo, Nigeria Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia; President, West African College of Physicians, represented by the Chairman of the Liberia chapter of the College, Dr. Musu Duoko; President of West African Postgraduate College of Nurses & Midwifery, represented by Dr. Marion K. Zubah; Registrar/Secretary General, West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Dr. Godswill C. Okara, represented by Mr. Henry Koahr; Representative of the President, West African College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Benjamin Harris; Representative of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, Rector Yvonne Esseku; President, United Methodist University of Liberia, Dr. Yar Donleh Gono; Sierra-Leone Postgraduate College of Health Specialties, College of Pharmacy, represented by Dr. Wiltshire Johnson; President University of Liberia, Rev (Dr.) Sarwolo Nelson; Prof. Christiana M. Adeyeye, DG NAFDAC, represented by Dr. Gbenga Fajemirokun; Prof. Serigne Omar Sarr from the Republic of Senegal, and Dr. Obi Adigwe, DG, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, Nigeria. Prof. Hasipha C. Tarpeh, Chairman, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, College of Health Sciences, University of Liberia, delivered the keynote address, while sub-themes were presented by Prof. Eric Woode and Prof.
(Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Odeku.

A total of eighty three (83) new fellows were admitted into the different specialties of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists.

Conference resolved as follows:
1) Substance abuse is a hydra-headed problem requiring a multi-dimensional approach towards mitigation, including collaboration across the region among all healthcare professionals as a key to assuring the goal of reducing illicit drug use while enhancing a healthy, virile workforce.

2) Recognized the need to include substance abuse modules in the pharmacy curriculum, a move that is geared towards the training of all students across the region in providing appropriate solutions to the problems of substance abuse.

3) Noted that substance abuse is a chronic non-communicable disease and sufferers should be treated with empathy and social support.

4) Noted the need for collaboration between academic/research Pharmacists and the Industry, to ensure outputs that are contextual and applicable to our various local scenarios as it relates to substance abuse.
West African Journal of Pharmacy (2023) 34 (2) 186 - 187

5) Reiterated the dire need for Member countries to present a united front in fighting the war against substance abuse, by placing the emphasis on PREVENTION through public enlightenment and educational programmes.

6) Advocacy with Governments of Member States on encouraging the formulation and implementation of policies that are geared towards curtailing illicit drug use.

7) Provide a mechanism to fund research and development in the discipline of substance abuse and addiction.

8) Noted the efforts of the National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) across Member countries in mitigating against the scourge of substandard and falsified medicines and urged that more concerted actions be taken to curtail the use and abuse of illicit drug substances.

9) Noted the enormous responsibility of building the proposed WAPCP secretariat and conference centre, which foundation laying was performed in Lagos, Nigeria on the 16th May 2022, and called on Governments of Member countries and well-meaning corporate bodies and individuals to support this laudable project.

10) Noted with commendation the recent developments in the College including the launch of the International Pharmacy Practice Residency pilot program and the introduction of specialties in the Fellowship program curriculum.

11) Resolved to integrate eligible pharmacists in the Francophone and Lusophone ECOWAS states into the WAPCP.

12) Expressed profound appreciation to the Government and the good people of Liberia for their warm reception and hospitality.

13) The 36thAnnual General Meeting and Scientific Symposium and 66thCouncil meeting will be held in the Gambia in 2024.

At the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, the following Fellows were elected as Principal Officers of the College for the 2023/2025 biennium.

1. Alhaji Murtada Sesay (Sierra Leone) - President
2. Prof. Hasipha Tarpeh (Liberia) - First Vice President
3. Prof. Mahama Duweijua (Ghana) - Second Vice President
4. Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba (Nigeria) - Secretary General
5. Dr. (Mrs) Fatoumatta Jah Sowe (The Gambia) - Deputy Secretary General
6. Mr Joseph Nyoagbe (Ghana) - Treasurer
7. Dr. Timothy O. Fajemirokun (Nigeria) - Editor-in-Chief

(Sgd) Prof. (Mrs.) Cecilia Igwilo, OON.,
FPCPharm, President, 

(Sgd) Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba,
FPCPharm, WAPCP Secretary General WAPCP