Nigeria joined the rest of the world in marking World Pharmacists Day, with consultant pharmacists stressing the need for deeper integration of their expertise into the country’s healthcare system.
The Consultant Pharmacists Association of Nigeria (CPAN) highlighted the crucial role pharmacists play in patient care, safe use of medicines, and overall public health. Despite this, they noted that pharmacists remain underrepresented in hospital management structures and policy implementation.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Think Health Think Pharmacist,” CPAN Interim Chairman Dr Kingsley Amibor commended the federal government for approving the consultant pharmacist cadre. However, he raised concerns about delays in creating appointment slots and called on hospital administrators to make provisions for qualified fellows awaiting deployment.
The association also pointed to salary disparities in the health sector, urging the government to adopt a unified pay structure to address inequality among healthcare professionals and foster better teamwork.
According to CPAN, consultant pharmacists act as medication experts, patient educators, and contributors to national health policies. Recognising and fully integrating their roles, they said, would lead to safer, more effective, and equitable healthcare delivery.
The group further appealed to NGOs and international health organisations to involve consultant pharmacists in their programmes, stressing that healthcare thrives best on collaboration among all professionals.
As World Pharmacists Day is commemorated, the call remains clear: Nigeria must do more to harness the skills of pharmacists as vital partners in building a stronger health system.
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