The Coastline College of Health Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, on Friday inducted 33 pharmacy technician graduates during its second graduation and induction ceremony at the institution.
Provost of the institution, Prof. Ade Aworetan, congratulated the graduates, describing their induction as a formal entry into the noble profession of healthcare delivery and service to humanity.
He urged them to embrace continuous learning, noting that pharmacy practice required constant updating of knowledge to keep pace with evolving discoveries and innovations in the medical field.
According to him, the graduates have been professionally trained and are well equipped to help address the shortage of healthcare practitioners currently affecting Nigeria’s health sector.
“I urge government at all levels to give them employment opportunities for the country’s health system to get a boost and to save many lives in our hospitals,” Aworetan said.
Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Mr Ibrahim Babashehu-Ahmed, also congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to see their qualification as a foundation for further academic and professional advancement.
Babashehu-Ahmed, represented by Mr Benson Ochukwo-Maxwell, PCN State Officer in Ondo State, urged them to adhere strictly to professional ethics and regulatory standards guiding pharmacy practice in Nigeria.
He said that the council was aware of challenges faced by pharmacy technicians in securing direct entry admission into universities but assured that steps had been taken to address the issue.
“I want to state that this issue is over because the PCN has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Board for Technical Education.
“The MoU entails that pharmacy technicians from approved colleges of health technology can now be awarded National Diploma in Pharmacy Technician.
“The ND certificate can be used to obtain Direct Entry into all PCN-accredited faculties of Pharmacy in Nigerian universities, provided the holder graduated with a minimum of Upper Credit,” he said.
He added that polytechnics were no longer approved to offer pharmacy technician or related programmes, emphasising that only accredited colleges of health technology were authorised to run such courses.
Miss Deborah Oluwatomisin-Ayadi emerged as the Best Graduating Student for the 2025/2026 academic session and was honoured during the ceremony. (NAN)
