Pharmacists Chart New Course With Digital Health, Personalised Care

In a bid to redefine community pharmacy practice in Nigeria, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has united stakeholders across the healthcare value chain to embrace digital health and personalised care.

The transformation agenda took center stage at the 44th Annual National Scientific Conference of the association, themed “Technology Integration and Personalised Care: The Future of Community Pharmacy Practice.” held in Awka, Anambra State.

In his keynote address, the Imo State commissioner for health, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ubaka, stated that the most impactful healthcare provider in the digital age is not a surgeon or physician but the local pharmacist.

He emphasised the need for community pharmacists to leverage digital tools, artificial intelligence, and personalised care strategies to deliver more responsive and cost-effective healthcare services.

The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, in his goodwill message, praised the resilience and professionalism of community pharmacists, describing them as the heart of healthcare delivery system.

He commended the ACPN for choosing Anambra for the conference and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening the pharmaceutical sector through policies such as the establishment of Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, highlighted the importance of adhering to the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG) of 2015 and praised the Anambra government for making pharmacists central to health reforms.

He also called for regulatory harmony between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), urging NAFDAC to respect the statutory roles of other regulatory agencies.

The chairman of the occasion, Pharm. (Sir) Ike Onyechi, represented by Pharm. (Dr.) Ignatius Anukwu, urged community pharmacists to stay ahead of the curve by embracing digital innovation, noting that community pharmacists are the first point of contact in many communities.

President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Tanko Ibrahim
lauded Anambra State’s pharmacy-friendly stance and announced that the next PSN National Conference would be hosted in the state.

The registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigerian (PCN), Pharm. Ahmed Babasheu, shared his optimism about the ongoing construction of the Oba CWC and reiterated PCN’s support for innovations that promote safer and more efficient drug distribution systems.

The conference was not just a platform for policy discourse but also a celebration of excellence. Awards were presented to outstanding pharmacists and goodwill messages poured in from various sectors, reinforcing the value of community pharmacy to national health outcomes.