President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakasai, has challenged pharmacy students in Africa on evidence–based pharmacy, meeting patients needs, chronic patients care especially in Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), self-medication, quality assurance of pharmaceutical care services, clinical pharmacy and pharmaco-vigilance.

Yakasai in his address during the 5th International Pharmacy Students Federation (IPSF)- African Pharmaceutical Symposium held at Pride-Inn Paradise Beach Hotel in Shanzu, Mombasa, Kenya, on Friday, June 17, 2016, said: “Pharmacy is not only a profession but it is actually a passion to save lives and I believe Pharmacist is doing one of the greatest jobs in the world with new dimensions of our practice which centred on pharmaceutical care (7-Star Pharmacist approach-1. Caregiver, 2.Communicator, 3.Decision-maker, 4.Teacher, 5. life-long learning, 6. Leader, 7. Manager, (8.Researcher), evidence – based pharmacy, meeting patients needs, chronic patients care (HIV/AIDS etc,), self-medication, quality assurance of pharmaceutical care services, clinical pharmacy and pharmacovigilance.”

The PSN President’s address is titled “7 Keys of Personal Breakthrough.”

Yakasai further stated: “Coming to Mombasa to talk to you is particularly meaningful to me as a mentor with 33 years’ post graduate experience. That means if I were to be a drug, I would have been a generic for a long time. To share my experience with you I decided to come up with a topic- 7 keys of personal breakthrough.