REFLECTIONS My passion for pharmacy earned me a trip to Germany -Young Khalid
Young Pharmacist, Khalid Garba Mohammed is our personality this week. He reflects on how his passion and accomplishments in the pharmaceutical career earned him a research trip to Germany recently. The 27 year old Kano Pharmacist told YOUTHVILLE that the influx of drug imports by fake practitioners is alarming and said he is advocating for its riddance and building a better society. Text by Simon youngest, so they actually E. Sunday @ stand by my side always. SimonEchewofun What are some of the
issues you are addressing hat’s the story as an expert? behind your Well, as drug expert of excellence in course there are a number Pharmacy? of issues debilitating the
My story starts from profession, especially the secondary school life, with regards to fake and because I was the head counterfeit drugs as well student in my set, so you as open drug market in know you need to study Nigeria. I mean the situation harder and coupled with is seriously disturbing. managing responsibilities. Pharmacists are the only Then IJMB re-shaped my experts licensed to import mind set about science and export drugs, but it is because the lecturers were quit unfortunate that in excellent, I can tell you Nigeria even someone who that my entire background did not attend primary as a scientist, I was school is into drug business groomed during my IJMB today. This situation is programme. dangerous to the nation
So these experiences because the end users are made life much easier for the citizens and sometimes me in pharmacy school at the harm could be passed University, because I was unto to other generations. already used to reading Could you describe a consciously , and I always typical work day being a ensured that I go through Masters student? my lecture notes same day I am pursuing my M.Sc. it was delivered. I report my currently in Pharmaceutics practical promptly because at A.B.U. so I spend more in pharmacy we do a lot of time in the laboratory practical classes. conducting research.
Then another thing When available in office that sharpened my I mostly pay attention on experience and exposed my research thesis writing. me to the larger society and But then I often participate different public opinions in NGOs activities and were the posts I held as we move around local President of Kano-Jigawa communities to implement Pharmaceutical Students’ programmes that will Association (KAJIPSA) improve people’s health and in 2010, thereafter I was improve the quality of life. also elected as President What is the defining of the Pharmaceutical moment in your career? Association of Nigerian I can vividly say that Student (PANS), Ahmadu the year 2014 is the most Bello University Chapter exciting moment in my in 2011. These posts career as pharmacist and allowed me interact with also in my life as a whole. important personalities. One may wonder why? But above all these, I also The reason is simple, I have enjoyed full support from been dreaming to become my family, especially my an academic pharmacist elder brothers; I was the and researcher, and it
Wbecame reality early 2014, I was given offer as assistant lecturer with Bayero University, Kano, later in the same 2014 I got married to my lovely wife Hassana, so that’s what made the year 2014 special to me. What are the challenges facing young Nigerians today?
Honestly I think the main challenge facing Nigerian youth is the syndrome of ‘Think big and start big’. I have actually seen a lot of Nigerian graduates a waiting a white color job, we need to change this habit, start somewhere and then move ahead.
What projects are you currently working on?
My current project is on my M.Sc., where I am working on starch from a tuber indigenous to Nigeria (Livingstone potato). We want to see how we can modify the starch for use as directly compressible incipient in tablet formulation and I am hoping in the next couple of months I should be able to complete it. I am also planning to proceed with my PhD immediately.
What extra-curricular activity do you engage yourself in?
Well, I enjoyed most of my free time with my family, and I love travelling. I often watch movies at my free time.
Is there a chance for youth who want to grow their capacities in pharmaceutical advocacy?
Yes. The most important thing in life is to understand who you are, I meant your strengths and weaknesses, and then look out for opportunities and chase them. I recently attended an International Pharmaceutical Federation Conference in Germany, my experience is that there are opportunities in pharmaceutical and health sector worldwide and in the developed world, young pharmacists are more oriented in being self dependent and groomed as entrepreneur where one can start on his own and build new ideas into healthcare systems.
In Nigerian context, the fact is that we need to think outside the box and stop depending on government, pharmacists should think on industrial practice, think on research and innovations.
Howdid you get sponsorhip to Germany?
It was actually a special travel grant given to selected young pharmacists in Nigeria through the Young Pharmacists Group of Nigeria (YPG-N) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).The grant is basically awarded to young pharmacists based on accomplishments, passion for the profession and future plans. So I applied and I gladly was the only YPG-N member selected from the Northern extraction.
What is your advice for youths, many who are still unemployed?
The truth
is that we can actually think big and start small, then build up gradually. When you graduate get something doing no matter how small it is, it could be better than none, then keep seeking for a better one.