December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol.1 No.
Young Pharmacists
Scholars (YPS)
YPS Celebrates its 1st ANNIVERSARY (Dec. 1, 2017 - Dec. 1, 2018)
Abubakar Sha’aban (YPS Mentor) during the
poster presentation session of 2018 ISPOR
conference in Barcelona, Spain
Snakebite and Envenoming: A
Nightmare in the Northeastern Part of
Nigeria
Auwal Bala
It was a beautiful sunrise with a cool breeze in
Kaware, a town in the northeastern part of
Nigeria. Dr. Dauda was busy preparing for the
morning task in the newly renovated snakebite
hospital built by the state government which is
located adjacent to the General Hospital Kaware.
After Dr. Dauda’s residency in internal medicine
last year at the National Hospital, he was so
delighted and very much ready to relocate to his
hometown in order to manage the snakebite
hospital. Dr. Dauda is such a wonderful doctor
who dedicated his time and expertise to the
management of snakebite victims in Kaware
hospital. He is confronted with many societal and
professional challenges, yet he decided to stick
around and help, after all, he believes in serving
his own people who are the reason he became a
physician. Unfortunately for the day, it is the
beginning of the rainy season, a season that
comes with many dilemmas for snakebite victims
in the region, a season that will come and go,
leaving some families with no breadwinners, and
a season that will disfigure young aspiring
beautiful children.
Continued on page 5.
Inside this edition:
Letters to Young Pharmacists
Scholars –P7
Ibrahim Jatau, the YPS Coordinator as a guest speaker at a function in Launceston, Australia
YPS in collaboration with Bayero University Kano
hosted 1st scientific workshop
Ibrahim Jatau
YPS in collaboration with Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University
Kano (BUK) organized its 1st scientific
workshop on August 19, 2018. The program
was chaired by the Dean of Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, BUK, Dr. Basheer
A.Z. Chedi.
Dr. Chedi who was speaking at a one-day
scientific workshop organized by Young
Pharmacists Scholars (YPS) in collaboration
with BUK, described the scientific workshop
as timely.
YPS is a mentoring platform with the objective
of nurturing research ideas among potential
young researchers in pharmaceutical sciences
and related fields. The platform was
established in December 2017 with members
studying in higher educational institution in
Australia, Gambia, Malaysia, Nigeria, and the
United States.
Experience of Fundamentals in
Leadership for Patient Safety and
Quality Course. –P3
From inception, the platform has conducted five
collaborative types of research, presented a
paper at a national conference and weekly online
scientific presentation.
The workshop tagged “acquiring the right tools
for research integrity: a focus on systematic
review and meta-analysis,” was the first of its
kind in Nigeria, held in the Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, BUK.
The Dean who was also the chairman of the
occasion, commended the efforts of YPS and
expressed the Faculty’s willingness for further
collaboration and proposed to make it an annual
event.
In his own remarks, the special guest of honor at
the occasion Professor Ahmed T. Mora, who is
also the President of Ahmadu Bello University,
Alumni Association, where all the three
presenters graduated from, congratulated the
organizers and commended the leadership of
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BUK for
providing all the necessary support and hosting
the event.
Continued on page 5.
Profiles of YPS members. –P4
PAGE 1
December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3
CONFERENCES
YPS members attend conferences
-Local, national, and international
Kabiru McGulma
Over the past one year, members of the YPS
attending conferences ranging from local, to
national, and international conferences. The
conferences attended range from individual
member’s personal efforts to group efforts.
As a group, the paper- Practice-Based
Research among Practicing Pharmacists in
Nigeria was presented at the 2nd biennial
conference of the School of Postgraduate
Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
which held between October 22 – 26, 2018.
The conference was a local conference.
At the 16th national conference of the
Neuroscience Society of Nigeria, YPS (as a
group) made a presentation on The Menace of
Drug Abuse: A Clarion Call. The event held in
Dutse, Jigawa State from August 6 – 10, 2018.
On the international scene, all papers presented
were due to individual efforts of members of
YPS. The first in 2018 was a paper by the
Editor-in-Chief of YPS at the African
Conference on Healthcare Delivery which held
in Abuja, Nigeria from June 25 – 27, 2018. The
paper was titled Trend Analysis of Stock Status
of Public Health Programs in Katsina State,
Nigeria.
In August 2018, Isma’eel Yunusa made a
poster presentation at the 34th International
Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and
Therapeutic Risk Management in Prague,
Czech Republic.
Khalid Garba, a YPS member made a poster
presentation at the Summer School for
Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Technology in
Lake Como, Northern Italy from September 25
– 28, 2018.
Most recently, one of the co-founders of YPS,
Abubakar Sha’aban made a presentation at the
2018 conference of the International Society
for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes
Research (ISPOR) in Barcelona, Spain from
November 10 – 14, 2018.
Ismaeel Yunusa standing by his poster International Conference on
Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management in Prague, Czech Republic
Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas!
YPS @ 1
EDITORIAL
Happy Birthday, YPS!
Kabiru McGulma
Precisely a year ago, I received a message from
Ibrahim Jatau narrating to me of the numerous calls he
receives from younger colleagues on their desire for
mentorship in research. Before this time, Ibrahim and
I always exchange ideas on academic issues, research,
and writing. As usual, he called on me in a usual
manner. Alongside myself, he also informed
Abubakar Sha’aban and Zayyan Shittu both of whom
were studying in Malaysia for postgraduate degrees.
Ibrahim and the trio of us formed the Young
Pharmacists Scholars (YPS) group and assumed the
role of mentors.
Gradually members were added based on their
expression of interest and their worthiness based on
prior interaction with them. The primary form of
communication between members who happen to be
in different continents is WhatsApp. Through this
medium, lectures are presented and moderated by
another colleague.
A lot of knowledge and skills sharing take place at
Poster presentation by Khalid Garba at Summer
YPS. There is also a collaboration between members
School for Doctorate in Pharmaceutical of related research areas to produce the publication.
Technology, Lake Como, Northern Italy, Recently, such collaboration saw to the successful
September 25 – 28, 2018 presentation of two YPS research papers at the 16th
conference of Neuroscience Society of Nigeria and at
the 2nd biennial conference of the School of
Postgraduate Studies, Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria. Both presentations are with international
journals for publication.
Accordingly, there are currently three research groups
working together for a collective goal.
YPS successfully hosted its 1st scientific workshop in
collaboration with Bayero University Kano.
There are lots of activities going on in YPS, and the
members are greatly nurtured in their respective
disciplines.
So much have been achieved in just a year of its
formation and the group is still counting.
Happy 1st anniversary to YPS!
Poster presentation by Kabiru Gulma at the
African Conference on Healthcare Delivery, June Sincerely yours,
25 – 27, 2018, Abuja-Nigeria
Editor-in-Chief
(YPS Newsletter & Journal of YPS)
PAGE 2
December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3
Featured Article
Experience with Fundamentals in Leadership for Patient Safety
and Quality: An Online Simulation Program
Basira Kankia Lawal
Last year, I had the opportunity of being part of
an online program offered by Johns Hopkins
Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and
Quality. The program was open for healthcare
participants around the world and was a cohort in
preparation for the full implementation of the
course for subsequent years, as such, was offered
free of charge for those that registered on time.
I was excited coming across the program at a time
when I was preparing to commence research on
my Ph.D. studies in the field of medication safety.
The course was organized as simulation training
where participants were given tasks for each
week over a seven (7)-week period and also self-
assessments, reflection, and planning at the end
of each week. Below is a breakdown of activities
for each week.
Week One
Week one was dedicated to the orientation of
participants on the program schedule and the
leadership framework for building collective
accountability. This week covered a broad range
of leadership competencies and insights to
enhancing current practices of patient safety.
Participants were introduced to the ‘Collective
Accountability Framework,’ which is a practical
way of thinking about essential leadership and
management functions in order to realize high
quality and safe care.
Week Two
During this week, participants were introduced to
‘Role Clarity and Capacity Building’ as levers to
critical management approaches for improving
performance. This involved reviewing sample
cases for critical thinking and application of
‘Aligning Goals’ tool to strengthen any weak
links in an organization. Participants were also
introduced to the ‘Safety Competencies’ tool to
think about the knowledge, skills, and attitudes
that the staff needs to be successful in improving
safety and quality in an organization.
Abubakar Sha'aban pictured at Setia SPICE
Convention Center, Malaysia
Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas!
Week Three
Week three focused on practical approaches to
applying on ‘Boundary Spanning and
Transformational Leadership’ which are
leadership skills that take a person’s career to a
higher level. This involved application of the
‘Learning Tracer’ tool, which is about informal
learning and how knowledge spreads in an
organization. There was also the application of
the ‘Elevator Pitch’ tool that helps teams create
a clear and compelling vision for their work in
improving safety and quality.
Week Four
This week focused on orienting participants to
a team simulation session. Participants were
tasked with recording a short speech which was
to be directed at the frontline staff of their
organization intimating them of an initiative
that was to be introduced.
This task was to assess motivational and
transformational leadership qualities of
participants in how to clearly communicate
with staff as a leader, to share a vision, motivate
them, inspire them to take part in a chosen
patient safety initiative, and also celebrate
individual contributions of each team member.
In my own speech, I decided to play a role as a
leader recommending the introduction of a
medication reconciliation initiative at a
hospital.
Week Five
This was the ‘Team Simulation’ session where
participants played through rounds of
simulation depicting real-life scenarios and
were given tasks of building leadership
capacity. We were placed in groups of three to
four participants to undertake this task.
Week Six
This was the final week which involved
participants having a reflection on all activities
carried out in the preceding weeks.
Additionally, another speech activity was
carried out.
Scientists’ Conclusion on Outcomes
Inferential joke!
A biologist, an engineer, and a mathematician
were observing an empty building. They noted
two people entering the building and sometime
later observed three people coming out.
The biologist remarked, “oh, they must have
reproduced.”
The engineer said, “our initial count must have
been incorrect.”
The mathematician stated, “now if one more
person goes into the building, it will be
completely empty.”
YPS @ 1
At the end of the training, participants were
given a detailed individualized report and speech
feedback. Also, a personal leadership profile
feedback was provided for each participant.
Certificates were also sent via email to each
participant that completed the tasks.
Building Leadership and the Nigerian
Pharmacist
Pharmacists have a significant role to play in
building skills of leadership. We are also at a
point where we need to be dynamic in generating
means of improving the healthcare sector in
Nigeria by developing an interest in building
leadership roles to enable us to become
transformational leaders and go a long way in
initiating advancements in the pharmacy
profession hence, improving patient care. We,
pharmacists need to realize we are a crucial
element in leading changes in our complex
healthcare organizations. We need to learn how
to organize our approach, skills, and attitudes
about driving safety and quality improvements
while realizing and respecting other healthcare
team members’ individual contributions so as to
achieve total healthcare improvements and attain
professional development.
To the young pharmacists, I must challenge all
of us to keep developing ourselves. There are
numerous online programs from reputable
institutions that are available for you to engage
in. I was privileged to have found this program
which has impacted me significantly in building
me as a future leader and had the opportunity to
have taken part in the cohort program at a free
charge (it now costs some thousands of dollars
for this same course!). Keep searching and
utilize your time in updating your knowledge
and upgrading yourselves.
L - R: Rufus Black, Vice Chancellor of University of
Tasmania, Australia and Ibrahim Jatau, YPS
Coordinator
PAGE 3
December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3 YPS @ 1

Photo Gallery of YPS Members

YPS has a total of 32 members. Below is a full list of members with their areas of research.

Name: Auwal Bala Name: Ibrahim Jatau (Founder of Name: Sa’idu Burji
Name: Kabiru McGulma (Co-
Institution: Department of YPS & Coordinator) Institution: Pharmacists Council of
Founder of YPS & Editor-in-Chief)
Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institution: University of Tasmania, Nigeria (PCN)
Institution: Euclid University, The
Bayero University, Kano Australia Research Area: Attitude of
Gambia
Research Area: Snake Research Area: Improving Awareness Healthcare Workers Towards
Research Area: Public Health
Venom/Antivenom and Early Detection of Atrial Renewing Professional License in
(commodity logistics systems)
Fibrillation in Tasmania, Australia Nigeria

Name: Dahiru Ibrahim Malami
Institution: Bayero University,
Kano
Research Area: Aflatoxins
Contamination in food and Feed of
Developing Countries
Name: Abubakar Sha’aban (Co-
Founder of YPS)
Institution: University Sains Malaysia
Research Area:
Pharmacometabolomics/Precision
Medicine
Name: Abubakar Wada Name: Abubakar Isa Musa
Institution: Bayero University, Kano Institution: Federal Medical Center,
Research Area: Neuropharmacology Birnin Kudu
Research Area:
Pharmacoepidemiology

Name: Inuwa Bello

Name: Haruna Maikudi Sale
Name: Basira Kankia Lawal
Institution: Federal University of
Institution: Ahmadu Bello University,
Kashere
Zaria
Research Area: Economic Effects of
Research Area: Medication Safety
Malaria on Households: Case Study of
Dala L.G.A, Kano
Name: Mohammed Mustapha
Institution: University Sains Malaysia
Research Area: Medication Safety in
Oncology
Institution: Ministry of Health, Dutse
Research Area: Effect of Aqueous
Leaves Extract of Physalis angulata on
the Pharmacokinetics Properties of
Ciprofloxacin in Healthy Human
Volunteers

Name: Al-Kassim Hassan
Institution: Bayero University,
Kano
Research Area: Anti-Snake
Venomics Pharmaceutical Analysis
Name: Amina Jaafar
Institution: Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria
Research Area: Public Health
Name: Ismaeel Yunusa Name: Sagir Mustapha
Institution: Massachusetts Institute Institution: Ahmadu Bello
of Technology, USA University, Zaria
Research Area: Clinical Research Area: Cardiovascular
Effectiveness and Value of Pharmacology
Pharmacological Treatments of
Dementia

Continued on page 6

Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas! PAGE 4

December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3 YPS @ 1

Snakebite and Envenoming: A Nightmare in the Northeastern

Part of Nigeria
Continued from page 1.

For decades, this cycle of horrific incidences with
an increase in functional and economic
consequences has been going on, year in year out
in the region due to a neglected tropical disease
tagged “snakebite and envenoming.”
It was 8:00 am, and Dr. Dauda was ready for
work, he hesitated for a minute and recalled the
challenges of the previous day, which was a
hectic day for the hospital staff. They had to
manage and stabilize three different snakebite
victims despite the unavailability of snake
antivenin in the hospital. On Dr. Dauda’s arrival
at the hospital, he first checked the pharmacy
department hoping to receive good news about an
order the hospital placed with the government for
a brand of the only clinically proven polyvalent
snake antivenin in the region, but he got the usual
story of unavailability. He quickly discussed with
Pharmacist Dankani, who is in charge of the
pharmacy department, the two of them resolved
in procuring some commercially available
antivenom produced by Asian manufacturers.
‘We have been trying your telephone number Dr.
Dauda’ said Nurse Ruth after she met him on
the corridor on his way to emergency unit, she
went ahead and narrated the arrival of two
snakebite victims at the hospital about 30
minutes ago. The first victim was a 25-year-old
male from a village that is about 50 km from
Kaware, the victim was bitten on the leg by a
snake on his farmland earlier in the morning,
the leg had swollen, and blood was oozing from
the bite area.
The second victim was a beautiful 14-year-old
girl; she was bitten by a snake while playing
with flowers springing up close to her parent’s
mansion in the metropolis which is
approximately 100 km from Kaware town and
she was already paralyzed on their arrival at the
hospital. Dr. Dauda paused and pondered for a
moment, “these are two snake envenoming
victims brought to the only snakebite hospital
in the area that is home to some of the world’s
most poisonous snakes.”
He could not believe that after all his training,
he ended up in a hospital where antivenin is not
available not to talk of modern diagnostic
equipment for snake venom identification. Dr.
Dauda and the team quickly started empirically
by giving symptomatic treatment to the victims
because the snakes responsible for the two
incidences were not available for identification.
After three hours they managed to stabilize the
25-year-old victim, but unfortunately could not
save the young girl’s life due to the
unavailability of antivenin to reverse the
paralysis, she painfully died of asphyxiation.
Currently, antivenin is the only standard
treatment for snakebite envenoming, and if just
one vial was available at the Kaware snakebite
hospital, the life of a beautiful 14-year-old girl
might have been saved by Dr. Dauda and his
team. The World Health Organization (WHO)
enlisted snakebite and envenoming as one of the
most neglected tropical diseases, and the health
care personnel working at the Kaware hospital
can evidently confirm the severity of the crisis
because they have witnessed death, devastation,
and disfigurement of victims, the situation
demands the urgent attention of the global health
community.

YPS in collaboration with Bayero University Kano hosted 1st scientific

workshop
Continued from page 1.
Any scientific research in pharmacy requires
collaboration with inputs from various experts
to explore hitherto unexplored areas or expand
the frontiers of existing outcomes with recent
data, information, and other parameters,” Mora
said.
International guest speakers who delivered
papers at the workshop include Pharm. Ibrahim
Jatau Abubakar, from Division of Pharmacy,
University of Tasmania, Australia, who gave
an Overview on YPS Activities; Pharm.
Ismaeel Yunusa from Massachusetts College
of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston,
USA, who led the session on Hands-on
Training on Systematic Review and Meta-
Analysis and Pharm. Khalid Garba
Mohammed from the Department of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan,
Italy, who led a session on Research Integrity:
A Key to First Class Research.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion were
Prof. Ibrahim A. Yakasai, Head, Department of
Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, BUK;
Prof. M. S. Gwarzo, Head, Department of
Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology,
BUK; Pharm. (Alh.) Aminu Usman of ASAD
Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. Ahmed Gana
Mohammed of Drug Manufacturing Unit of
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, among
others.
Over 150 postgraduate students, academic staff
and other researchers from different parts of the
country participated in the workshop. Other
highlights of the events include poster
presentation and testimony by YPS members.
Prof. A. T. Mora, mni, The Special Guest of Honor
Delivering His Speech

The workshop was targeted at pharmacists

undergoing their MSc, Ph.D. and WAPCP
studies to guide them on aspects of research
studies which encompasses scientific writing,
research methodologies, manuscript
development, and publication in peer-review
Cross-Section of Participants During the Workshop
journals.

Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas! PAGE 5

December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3
Photo Gallery of YPS Members
Continued from page 4.
Name: Khalid Garba Mohammed
Institution: University of Milan,
Italy
Research Area: Applied
Pharmaceutical Technology
Name: Abdulwahab Aliyu
Institution: Universiti Sains
Malaysia
Research Area: Mechanism of
Clearance of Apoptotic Cancer Cell
by Macrophages
Name: Rabiu T. Giaze
Institution: Usmanu Danfodio
University, Sokoto
Research Area: Anti-Osteoporostic
Activities of Labisia Pumila Var
Alata
Do you know that?
Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas!
Name: Zayyan Shittu (Co-Founder
of YPS
Institution: Universiti Sultan Zainal
Abidin, Malaysia
Research Area: Medication Error
and Patient Safety
Name: Salim Ilyas
Institution: Bayero University,
Kano
Research Area: Pediatric Oro-
Dispersible Systems
Name: Bilyaminu Abubakar
Institution: Usmanu Danfodio
University, Sokoto
Research Area: Predisposition to
Obesity and Insulin Resistance Due to
Rice Consumption: Germination
Status Vs Amylose Content
YPS @ 1
Name: A’isha Ahmed Name: Baraka Ado
Institution: Ahmadu Bello
Institution: Bayero University,
University, Zaria
Kano
Research Area: Pharmacognosy
Research Area: Pharmacovigilance,
Pharmacy Education, Medication
Safety, and Pharmacist's
Interventions
Name: Safiyya Abdulkadir Name: Hafsat Nasidi
Institution: Bayero University,
Institution: Bayero University,
Kano Kano
Research Area: Binding Properties
Research Area: Comparative
Activities of the Antiplasmodial of Maize Starch, Acacia Gum, and
their Binary Mixtures
Activities between Two Local Plants
Name: Abubakar Sule Danbatta Name: Fatima Alhassan Mohammed
Institution: Bayero University, Kano Institution: National Judicial Institute
Research Area: Adverse Drug Research Area: Medico-Legal
Reaction Monitoring
To subscribe to
Send an email to:
youngpharmscholars@gmail.com
PAGE 6
December 1, 2018 / / Saturday / / Vol. 1 No. 3 YPS @ 1
Letters to YPS!

Mentors write to YPS on 1st Anniversary

Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed

Prof. Ahmed Awaisu (Qatar- Doha)

I have related very closely with one of the Founders of the

To Young Pharmacists Scholars (YPS):
Young Pharmacists Scholars (YPS) in the person of Pharm.
I would like to heartily congratulate Young
Ibrahim Jatau as a colleague. I am very much aware of the
Pharmacists Scholars (YPS) on her 1-year
anniversary. I would like to also highly commend vision that YPS has set for itself to achieving, which is to
the efforts of YPS’s sterling leadership on the
develop world-class pharmacy intellectuals and
publication of this newsletter to mark the
celebration of the first year anniversary. The professionals with a view to improving pharmacy practice.
number and quality of professional and scholarly
I am convinced that this task is achievable knowing the
activities undertaken by YPS during the last one
year is an eloquent testimony of the association’s people behind it. Already, new frontiers are being opened
accomplishments and success. The platform aims
in academics and pharmacy practice endeavor.
to advance pharmacy practice and promote
scholarly endeavors. I am very much proud of the
developers, have a strong faith in their capabilities,
Pharm. Ibrahim Jatau like others in his group has set for
and I envision them as our future leaders, not only
in pharmacy but in all aspects of human endeavor. himself a high goal that will have a positive impact in his
Our future leaders indeed! Prof. Ahmed Awaisu environment and the world at large. With the determination
I am very much aware of and impressed with the exhibited and commitment put into this project, I have no
activities of the young association and how such
doubt that the mission and vision of this group are
educational activities will potentially make a
significant impact on the professional career of achievable.
pharmacy practitioners, scholars, and future
academic leaders. Novice and experienced
researchers alike would greatly benefit from the Just as advice, always remember that those that achieve
knowledge and skills which YSP disseminate using
greatness most likely had to surmount an ocean of
different methods of delivery, including, but not
limited to online/webinars and face-to-face difficulties and hardships before finally achieving success.
educational activities.
Quoting from one of my favorite literature, let me conclude
YSP is merely a platform to build an arsenal of with the author's words thus:" After having read
strong pharmacy leaders in all aspects including
biographies of some successful people from the past, I
pharmacy practice, education, research, and
community service. I assure you that we could became amazed at the amount of patience they displayed,
make a difference in the lives of many and young
at their ability to bear stronger burdens only to emerge as
practice pharmacists and pharmacy academics have
an unprecedented opportunity to benefit from this stronger human beings." He concluded that after a short
platform. It is an opportunity to enhance our Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, Director at Pharmacists time had passed such people were rewarded for their
knowledge and skills in many facets, and I am Council of Nigeria (PCN)
looking forward to tapping these bounties. Once patience with success.
again, congratulations and well done!

Wishing you the very best in this beautiful endeavor!

Prescriptions in pictures!

Young Pharmacists Scholars… Nurturing Research Ideas! PAGE 7