The Chief Medical Director of David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, Prof. Uzoma Agwu Wednesday welcomed the accreditation team from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) who visited the hospital to assess the pharmacy department.

During the visit, the CMD approved the setting up of compounding rooms in the department, which enable pharmacists to tailor medications to patients' unique requirements, especially for medications that are not commercially available or in short supply.

She also approved the creation of strategic units for the pharmacy department, including Drug Information Services and Pharmacovigilance, to handle specialized services, in addition to release of a newly acquired vehicle to the department to facilitate their movement and work schedules.

The CMD expressed pride in the hospital's rapid progress, despite being barely two years old, and announced plans for further expansion in patients' wards and other critical structures in due course.

She assured the team that the hospital management would invest more in training and retraining all cadres of pharmacists and promised increased funding in subsequent budgets for external workshops and conferences.

She also pledged total upgrade to their overall work space, including the installation of air conditioners, improvement in office aesthetics, for a more convenient work environment, saying the hospital has equally allocated space to the department on all floors of its building for effective coverage.

The team leader and Pharmacy Director, PCN Abuja, Pharmacist Thomas Ilupeju, commended the hospital for institutionalizing standard operating procedures for the pharmacy department.

However, he highlighted the need for increased staffing, exposure to conferences and workshops for pharmacy technicians and support staff, as well as specialty and subspecialty trainings.

Pharmacist Ilupeju promised a favorable recommendation and outcome from the accreditation visit and advocated for the provision of outstanding pharmaceutical tools and gadgets required for efficient pharmaceutical services.

The Head of Pharmacy department, Pharmacist Okorafor Ugochukwu, thanked the CMD for her support and assured that all requirements would be met through the help of the management before the next visit.