The Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, Ibrahim Ahmed, yesterday, urged 68 graduands of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, to resist the temptation of getting rich quick in utter violation of ethical standards during their practice.

While congratulating the graduands, he said that pharmacy profession is a service to save human lives, adding that unrestrained pursuit of wealth would lead to violation of the ethical standards of PCN, which would attract the hammers of the PCN on defaulters.

He made the call during the oath-taking and induction ceremony of 4th set of graduands of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ESUT, at Agbani, Enugu State where he was represented by the Director of Education and Training, PCN, Dr. Anthony Idoko.

“I urge you to maintain high ethical standards and leadership qualities as prescribed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and to aim for excellence in the provision of healthcare delivery.

“As pharmacists, you are expected to get yourselves acquainted with the Code of Professional Ethics which prescribes your professional and moral responsibilities to the patients, pharmacist colleagues, other health professionals, your employers and the general public among others. Strict compliance to the code of ethics is indispensable for the practice of pharmacy profession,” he said.

In his opening address, the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, while congratulating the graduands, enjoined them to always remember their Alma Mater ESUT, by identifying with the University alumni association.

He further enjoined the graduands to be worthy ambassadors of ESUT by eschewing unprofessional conducts in the field of practice.

” I want private investors to come and partner ESUT so that we can begin to think about having manufacturing outfits, so that we can start having ESUT branded drugs. I want our students to have demonstration laboratories so that as our graduands are leaving ESUT, they are certified on other numerous programmes,” he said.

He further stated that the Management of the University would continue to invest in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in order to make it a centre of excellence.

In his keynote address, entitled ‘Embracing Failure: Importance of Having Big Dreams,” the Commissioner for Health, Imo State, Professor Chukwuemeka Ubaka, enjoined the graduands not to be deterred by failure while pursuing their dreams.

He further said that failure gives clarity, conviction and originality which prepare the ground for greater success in future.

According to him, failure is a challenge which should be  converted to opportunities for growth and excellence.

While talking about having big dreams, he said that it gives direction and increases a person’s potentialities, urging them to always dream big to achieve their potentials.

In his remarks, the former Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Cyprian Onyeji, commended ESUT Management on their developmental strides in the University.

Professor Onyeji, further enjoined the graduands to choose their areas of practice according to their skills for job satisfaction and optimum service delivery.