By Chioma Obinna
As Nigeria continues to grapple with limited access to affordable healthcare, pharmacists are calling for formal recognition as frontline healthcare providers. This year’s World Pharmacists Day, themed “Think Health, Think Pharmacy,” is being used to highlight the evolving and increasingly critical role of pharmacists in healthcare delivery.
Across the country, pharmacists are becoming the first point of contact for many patients seeking care. Unlike other professionals in the health sector, they offer consultations at no cost, provide instant medication counseling, and are often accessible beyond standard clinical hours. According to health stakeholders, this accessibility positions pharmacists as an untapped asset in the country’s overstretched health system.
In a joint press statement to mark the day, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), and Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore, National Secretary, said the role of pharmacists has significantly expanded and must be formally acknowledged in national healthcare policy.
“Pharmacists today are not limited to dispensing drugs. They are public health educators, chronic disease managers, health policy contributors, and advocates for medication safety,” the statement noted. “They support patients in managing conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, while also playing a critical role in disease prevention, health screenings, and immunisation campaigns.”
To institutionalise these contributions, the ACPN has launched a transformative initiative titled: “Pharmacy Forward: Performance, Collaboration, and Health Transformation.” The initiative introduces a structured, five-tier career progression model from Community Pharmacist to Consultant Pharmacist, designed to professionalise and standardise pharmacy practice in Nigeria.
According to the ACPN, the framework aims to drive continuous professional development, improve service quality, retain skilled talent, and create benchmarks for excellence across the pharmacy profession. The model also reflects global best practices and responds to Nigeria’s urgent healthcare needs.
With the rise of digital health, pharmacists are also expanding their reach through telepharmacy services, especially in underserved and remote areas. These include virtual consultations, remote medication adherence support, and patient counseling, further enhancing access to care.
Pharmacists are equally involved in public health advocacy, policy engagement, and community outreach. Many contribute to health research, push for rational drug use, and help combat the misuse of antibiotics and controlled substances. Yet, the ACPN maintains that despite these vital contributions, pharmacists remain underutilized and underrepresented in national health policymaking.
The association is urging the Nigerian government to formally integrate pharmacists into the primary healthcare framework and support their inclusion in national health reform strategies. Doing so, they argue, will improve health outcomes, ease the burden on hospitals, and advance the country’s push toward universal health coverage. “As we mark World Pharmacists Day, we reaffirm that the future of healthcare must include pharmacy at its core. When you think of health, think pharmacy—because behind every healthy community is a pharmacist delivering expert, accessible, and affordable care,” Pharm Ezeh said.
The post World Pharmacists Day: Pharmacists seek recognition as frontline healthcare providers appeared first on Vanguard News.
