Pharmacists urged to embrace technology, expand public health role

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged pharmacists to embrace technology, strengthen patient-centred care and expand their role beyond medicine dispensing to help build a healthier Nigeria.

PSN President Ayuba Tanko made the call in his 2026 World Pharmacists Day message, themed “Empowering Pharmacists for a Healthier Future.”

Tanko said pharmacists were not merely dispensers of medicines but healthcare professionals, educators, counsellors, advocates and partners in patient care, stressing that their role was critical to protecting lives and improving health outcomes.

He said pharmacists routinely help patients understand their medicines, promote treatment adherence, identify potentially harmful drug-drug, food-drug and drug-disease interactions, and provide guidance on disease prevention and healthy living.

According to him, pharmacists’ accessibility, particularly at community level, gives them a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to public health.

“A person may walk into a pharmacy with a headache, fever, cough, or other health concern and receive professional guidance before visiting a hospital,” he said.

The PSN president noted that rapid advances in technology, artificial intelligence, digital health, new medicines and personalised treatment were changing the healthcare landscape, requiring pharmacists to continuously update their knowledge and adopt evidence-based practice.

He also warned against unsafe medication practices, including medicine misuse, self-medication, antimicrobial resistance, counterfeit medicines and inappropriate antibiotic use.

Tanko stressed the need for pharmacists to educate patients on correct dosage, timing, possible side effects, precautions and adverse drug reactions to minimise medication-related harm.

He urged pharmacists to move beyond the traditional pharmacy counter by participating more actively in preventive and community healthcare through vaccination awareness, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, health education, smoking cessation support, and maternal and child health education.

Tanko also called on pharmacists to implement the resolution of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) on activating pharmacy-based clinics to provide such services, while ensuring proper documentation and institutionalisation of data collection.

He emphasised collaboration among healthcare professionals, saying healthcare delivery should be viewed as teamwork rather than competition, with the patient as the ultimate beneficiary.

The PSN president further announced that the society would celebrate its centenary in the first quarter of 2027, with activities including a centenary declaration, launch of a centenary endowment fund, public lectures, a centenary publication, and a banquet and awards night.

Tanko charged pharmacists and those entering the profession to uphold its dignity and integrity, put patients first, embrace innovation, pursue lifelong learning, speak against unsafe medication practices and mentor younger pharmacists.

He said the future of healthcare would require courage, innovation, compassion and collaboration, adding that pharmacists had an important role to play in shaping that future.

“A healthier future is not something that will happen by chance. It is something we must build together,” Tanko said, urging pharmacists to remain committed to safe and effective medicine use and improved patient care and calling for renewed commitment to serving humanity and improving lives.

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