Photo Caption: From left: Head of corporate marketing &key accounts Folorunsho Alaran, Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj, overall winner of the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA), Abiona Damilola Peace of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Dr. Ezekiel Akinkunmi, National Chairman, Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA) and Prof. Sunday Idowu Dean Falculty of pharmacy University of Ibadan at the Grand Finale and Presentation of Prizes of Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA) Season 4 in Lagos on Tuesday.
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A good number of stakeholders in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry has commended a leading pharmaceutical company, Shalina Healthcare for its efforts in promoting the development of pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
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These came in Lagos on Tuesday at the Grand Finale of the fourth edition of Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA), a national level competition for final year pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities. A value adding initiative by Shalina Healthcare.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman, Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), Dr. Ezekiel Akinkunmi commended the pharmaceutical company for yet another effort in ensuring a genuine development of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria. According to him “Shalina has again raised the bar in intellectual contribution to the development of the industry in Nigeria. And this idea of promoting the best brains among the pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities deserve the commendation and support of every stakeholder.”
In this same regard, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Professor Aderonke Adepoju-Bello hailed the pharmaceutical company for the impact it is making in uplifting the knowledge of the students as well as the pharmacists in general saying “the company has done very well, it has brought unprecedented knowledge-based development by going to the universities to discover young talents in the industry. They brought something new to the students, and the students were excited. It is my hope that they won’t relent and sustain this great initiative. And go further to expand it.”
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Meanwhile, in his welcome speech, the Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj said the initiative is centered on “rewarding young talents in pharmacy practice in an usual way. It is the biggest hunt for the best pharmacy brain in the Nigerian universities. We are standing on our founding principles – giving quality products at affordable prices and going beyond business to drive our purpose of making access to quality healthcare a right for every African so they can lead healthy productive lives. This is by ensuring that we are doing something different to make impact in the society, especially in the lives of our teeming consumers.”
The competition which is for the final year pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities. The grand finale featured zonal winners from seven Nigerian universities of University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, University of Lagos, University of Jos, University of Uyo, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
At the end of the day, after five rounds of contest which include, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Rapid Fire, Debate, Case Study and Viva, Abiona Damilola Peace of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan emerged the overall winner after pooling 90.29 points and won a cash prize of three hundred thousand naira while Ogunmekan Temitope of University of Lagos with 73.9 points and Adebimpe Ebunoluwa of University of Ibadan with 72.64 points emerged first and second runner-up and won two hundred thousand naira and one hundred thousand naira respectively. More so, in addition to this Arun Raj, Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare promised that all the fourteen participants at the Grand Finale will be absorbed into the company after graduation if they so wish.
In celebration of its 40 years in Africa, a leading Afro-focused multinational company, Shalina Healthcare has reiterated its commitment to the delivery of quality healthcare in Africa. Declaring this in Lagos on Friday at the event to wrap up the company’s 2023/24 financial year and celebrate its 40 years of its existence, the Chief Commercial Officer, West Africa of the company, Arun Raj said the company “is determined to continually fulfill its corporate mission of making quality products available to every African at affordable prices.
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According to him; ” It has been 40 years of trust in Africa and these 40 years, the people of the continent have also reciprocated the trust in our quality products and healthcare delivery.”
Also, in his corporate presentation as well as new financial year projection, the Head, Corporate Marketing of the Company, Folorunso Alaran said; “the Company is building on the trust Africans have in its products and services over the year and is committed to healthy Africa. It has been forty years of available, affordable and quality products for Africans.”
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In the words of Mr. Nirmal Jain CEO Shalina consumer Global,
“At Shalina, we believe that every African must have access to good products. And for the last forty years, we have been trusted for our quality products. And more so, through our many initiatives and healthcare interventions, Shalina has continually raised the bar in healthcare delivery.”
Speaking further, Mr. Debajeet Mukherjee CEO Shalina Pharma Global, posited that; “despite the prevailing economic challenges, we do not waver in delivering our corporate purposes of available, affordable and quality health products. It is our belief that economic challenges should not hinder people’s access to quality healthcare. Either the economy is good or bad, it shouldn’t affect the lives of the people in an adverse way. Despite the fact that some companies are leaving Nigeria, we are expanding our team in the country. This is because we have trust and believe in Nigeria.”
In her own presentation at the event, the Company’s Managing Director, Nigeria , Opeyemi Akinyele said the company “is focused to become number one brand in Nigeria and continually promote the best of healthcare delivery in the country. ”
“Through our products, activities and interventions we have been doing greatly to ensure that quality healthcare is available and affordable for every citizen. And this is a promise that will remain unbroken ” She said.
Appreciating the members of staff of the company for their commitment and supporting roles in the company, Akinleye said “without you, your roles and efforts, we won’t be here and the successes recorded in the out gone year won’t be possible. We also rely on your continuous support and commitment in the new year. ”
Meanwhile as part of the company’s end of year activities, many staff members were given awards of excellence in different categories for 2023/24 financial year. Amongst them were Lasisi Abiodun, Best Pharma Delegate, Lawal Abubskar, Best Medical Delegate, Ruth Adesua Adewoye, Best Regional Manager Pharma, Ganiyu Lateef, Best CVD Delegate, Mercy Omoji, Best Regional Manager, Consumer, Uzuma Pascal, Best Zonal Manager, (Global) and Juliet Ngozi Edward, Best Consumer Delegate Global . Winners in other categories included Sandeep Sahu, Folorunso Alaran, Emeka Adimoha, Chiuba Nwaosu among others.
Shalina Healthcare which began its business in Africa in DR Congo in 1984 made entry to Nigeria 25years ago. It currently has about 2500 staffs globally out of whom 2000 are in Africa.
One of the major problems of the Eastern region was the “sit at home” menace which crippled business activities in the entire Eastern region; several lives have been lost in the process of enforcing this as the enforcers have always been very cruel and wicked, killing anyone who refuses to obey the order.
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Disturbed by the cruelty of the enforcers and how many lives that have been lost through this act, the prophetic Hall of Fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Lagos,made a public declaration that “sit at home” was going to be over in the East.
People didn’t believe it when he said it, everyone believed that only the release of Nnamdi Kanu was going to end “sit at home” in the East.prophet Ikuru said that it would stop even while Kanu is still in detention.
Today,”sit at home” has ended in the East, people now go about their normal businesses on Monday.Today, the dreaded “sit at home” enforcers are nowhere to be found, you can do anything or carry out any business activity of your choice on monday because God has honoured the word of his prophet.
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Prophet Godwin Ikuru is one of the best prophets in Nigeria,he remains a major part of the ruling party in Nigeria.He is the major prophet that brought the president to power .
The only female aspirant in the contest for the APC governorship ticket in Ondo state, Engr. (DR) Oluwafunmilayo Ayinke Waheed-Adekojo has been cleared by the screening committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday Friday, 12th of April, 2024.
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The screening process which normally involves validation of candidates’ credentials and eligibility to contest was without hassle for Funmi Ayinke as there were no discrepancies in her credentials especially for the fact that she has proven records in the public space confirming her credibility and eligibility for the contest.
When asked about her plans for the people of Ondo state by the committee, Funmi Ayinke expressed the need for Ondo state to evolve using technology and Artificial intelligence which she is very knowledgeable in, narrating how she generated electricity through briquette.
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She stated that Ondo state needs an engineer who is vast in the application of technology which would of course; secure a better position for the state internationally.
‘’I am vast in the knowledge of technology and Artificial intelligence, the world is changing and we can’t continue to remain as we are. We need an engineer who is vast and knowledgeable in all of these. I developed the generation of electricity through briquette so when we have this kind of grace in Ondo state, we should not waste it.’’
Continuing, Funmi Ayinke expressed confidence in securing the party’s ticket because all women in the state have thrown their weight behind her. She noted that many women decided to support her ambition because she has been a source of hope for them before she thought of a governorship ambition.
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Speaking further on the support she has received so far, Funmi Ayinke recounted the massive crowd that besieged her rally ground in Akure without paying a dime.
‘’Women come to me that they want to pay me back with their support because I have been a source of hope for them. Women vote more in Ondo state and I have that confidence that this is my time, I have sown the seed, it’s time for harvest.’’
‘’In the last rally we did, I didn’t pay any women to attend, It was just an open invitation and we shut down the whole of Akure, this means people know what they want and they appreciate the fact that we have the courage to come out. Without woman, there is no vote, no nation.’’
The screening process ended with cheers from the committee, congratulatory messages from officials at the party’s secretariat and prayers of victory from women in the secretariat premises.