By Doris Obinna and Henry Uche
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has accused the federal government for not utilising and giving full accreditation pharmacies as health facilities in primary healthcare.
It urged the government to genuinely mobilize available human resources for health and take advantage of the country’s potential human resources to advance the nation’s critical healthcare delivery needs.
Speaking, ACPN Chairman, Igwekamma Ambrose Ezeh, said Nigeria made a mark during the COVID-19 pandemic in pharmacy practice with the injection of Community Pharmacists that facilitates the vaccination.
Ezeh, in his inaugural speech as the 16th National Chairman, disclosed how the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) benchmarked Nigeria’s landmark achievement with the COVID-19 vaccine as apt for adoption by other countries for better results in immunisation services.
According to him, Nigeria may be on the way to minimizing risk factors associated with infant/maternal mortality, fake drug syndrome, and other negative health indices when it fully embraces and encourages community-based healthcare practices to actively participate in immunization services and the generality of healthcare in the country.
“In recent times, the FIP which is the global template for practicing pharmacists in Nigeria used the success story of the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in community pharmacies in Nigeria as a benchmark to compel other countries of the world that are not doing the same to adopt Pharmacy vaccination to achieve better results in immunization services.
“It is a major irony that the health system in Nigeria which was the focal and reference point in good healthcare delivery has not yet formalized what it is being cited as doing well.”
The ACPN chairman, at the occasion, which was also the investiture of Distinguished Community Pharmacist (DCPHARM) Awardees, expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would give attention to the situation. He appealed to Tinubu’s government to “mobilise available human resources for health if the country ever stands any chance of reversing the negative healthcare indices.
Recalling the momentum generated with regards to the use of professional stamps and seals, Ezeh urged the Federal Ministry of Justice to activate the enabling draft gazette before it as this will confer the much-desired legitimacy on the stamp and seals.
While assuring the government and all stakeholders of its firm resolve to collaborate he added the ACPN would work hard at entrenching a future where community pharmacists are not only recognized as critical healthcare providers but also as key drivers of positive health outcomes in Nigeria.