A little update

Sorry, I've been quite busy, this year has been really hectic so pardon me. I am currently preparing my application to pharmacy school to start my doctorate in pharmacy. Its been a really long journey, but it is almost down to the wire. These days, i am taking classes, doing volunteer work and preparing for the almighty PCAT.

I wouldn't say i am a competitive person, but i do like to be good at what i do, so i am doing my best. I figured i would tell you why i chose this course of study, maybe you could get into my mind a little more...muahaha...no, i am telling you, so no evil laugh.

I think the Nigeria Healthcare system is in a state of despair, really horrible, i think that good healthcare should be accessible to every Nigerian, and i know we have capable doctors, nurses etc, i just don't see the pharmacists, actually i have met only 2 pharmacists. How many have you met? The two pharmacists i have met owned pharmacies...

I want to be a clinical pharmacist, i believe that most Nigerians just take drugs by hearsay, "oh, you have a fever, ah, the last time i had a fever, i took Fansidar" and then you take a Fansidar, without considering any allergic reaction you might have to the drug, or the possibly negative interactions Fansidar might have with any other drug you are currently taking. We don't have many doctors, most of the doctors who train outside Nigeria do not want to come back, and i understand, after all that training, you don't exactly want to come back to a messed up system where there is no electricity or you wont be compensated very well.

Right now my heart is set on two things, to become a clinical pharmacist and specialize in Infectious diseases or Oncology (study of cancer) and to also become a regulatory pharmacist later and help with the policy making in Nigeria, with regards to drugs, the availability of drugs, who can sell drugs, who can manufacture drugs, who can prescribe drugs and the various standards we should hold all these people to.

I remember when people were dying because of all the fake drugs in Nigeria, and we kept seeing those ads, "blah blah, don't buy fake drugs". I always wondered how fake drugs got into the market. Who sells drugs? People who do not even have an education for petes sake, you go into Aba and there are people with shops selling drugs, no that is not acceptable, this isn't like selling shoes or clothes, these are drugs that will be ingested by the Nigerian public. It isn't too much to ask that they at least have a background in biology or chemistry.

Personally i feel like we should have 2 year programs that would grant a person a  "pharmacy technician" license, so that they at least have some knowledge of drugs and can be in a pharmacy with a retail pharmacist. It is completely fine by me, if a business man wants to open a pharmacy chain, however than business man has no business selling the drugs or even being there. (pun intended)

Oh wow, i digressed. Haha, anyway, this is what i am working towards, but, i go to school in the states for now, and i always have doubts too, i have more opportunities here, but i have always felt that i was put on earth to do something bigger. As we all know, and should know, no one else can make Nigeria better but its citizens.

I will probably document my journey through pharmacy school here, we'll see...i need your prayers though. Please pray for me, so i can get accepted. :)
Have a lovely day guys :)