The National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians of Nigeria has urged the Federal Ministry of Education to prevail on the National Board for Technical Education Board not to scrap the Pharmaceutical Technology Diploma Programmes in polytechnics.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria had in a communiqué after its 85th annual national conference frowned at the initiative of the NBTE to offer diploma programmes in Pharmaceutical Technology.
The pharmacists called for the scrapping of the programme on the grounds that pharmaceutical technology is a postgraduate specialty in universities.
But NAPTTON in a statement by its President, Alhaji Yusuf Hojapa, on Monday said that such programmes were needed in the country.
Hojapa stated that pharmaceutical technology programmes operate freely in Ghana and other countries, adding that it was surprising that the NBTE was planning to do them.
But Hojapa urged the Minister of Education, Prof. Rukkayat Rufa'i, to disregard the suggestion to scrap the programmes, adding that the programmes would rather advance pharmacy education and practices in the country.
"NAPTTON condemns the recent call that Pharmaceutical Technology Programme being anchored by NBTE be stopped by the Minister of Education.
"Pharmaceutical Technology programmes (ND/HND) operate freely in Ghana and other climes, hence one wonders why any group should pull woods on the face of the distinguished Minister of Education who is well-informed about developments internationally," he said.
Hojapa also called on the public to disregard the suggestion.
