The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the pharmacy profession and empowering pharmacists to play a greater role in delivering quality, accessible and safe healthcare services to Nigerians.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, stated this on Friday at a Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Pharmacists Day, with the theme, “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures.” held in Abuja.
Represented by the Director, Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary and Director, Human Resource Management, Mrs. Tetshoma Dafeta, the Minister, described pharmacists as among the most accessible frontline health professionals in Nigeria, noting their critical contributions to medicines supply, preventive care, chronic disease management, patient safety and rational use of medicines.
He emphasized that pharmacists operate at the intersection of clinical care, scientific innovation and public health delivery, making their profession indispensable to the development of resilient and future-ready health systems.
The Coordinating Minister stated that, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is advancing reforms aimed at strengthening pharmacy practice, including expanding pharmacists’ roles in primary healthcare and specialized care, promoting regulated e-pharmacy and digital health platforms, supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and strengthening enforcement against substandard and falsified medical products through relevant regulatory agencies.
He noted that the pharmacy sector has recorded progress in clinical integration, pharmacovigilance and pharmaceutical research, while stressing the need for sustained investment in workforce development, pharmacy education, clinical residency programmes, continuous professional development, workplace infrastructure, innovation and research.
He further called for stronger multidisciplinary collaboration among pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other health professionals to improve patient outcomes.
Prof. Pate expressed appreciation to professional bodies, development partners, academia and private-sector stakeholders for their contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical and health systems.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to creating an enabling environment in which pharmacists are adequately equipped, supported and recognised, stressing that “a healthier Nigeria is impossible without an empowered pharmacy workforce.”
In her welcome address, the Director Food and Drug Services, Mrs. Olufowubi-Yusuf Adeola explained that pharmacists play a critical role in promoting the safe and effective use of medicines, counselling patients, improving medication adherence and preventing harmful drug interactions and medication-related errors.
She added that their accessibility within communities also positions them to support public health interventions, including health education, vaccination awareness, antimicrobial stewardship and chronic disease management.
The Director further emphasised the need to equip pharmacists with the appropriate competencies, tools and supportive professional environment to respond to emerging health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, unsafe medication practices and substandard and falsified medicines.
She highlighted the importance of embracing innovations such as telepharmacy and digital health technologies to improve access to pharmaceutical care.
Mrs. Adeola, called for sustained collaboration among government, regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals, development partners, the private sector and the media to strengthen pharmaceutical services and improve health outcomes.
In their separate goodwill messages, development partners and other key stakeholders reaffirmed their support and commitment to strengthening pharmacy profession and integrating pharmacists more effectively into the Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, through her representative, Pharm.(Mrs) Chizoba Maduagwuna, Director, Greater FCT, described pharmacists as indispensable members of the healthcare team, noting their critical roles in promoting the rational use of medicines, providing professional counselling, supporting patients and contributing to improved health outcomes across the healthcare continuum.
She emphasised that access to medicines must be complemented by assurances that medicines are safe, effective, of good quality and properly used.
According to her, this makes pharmacists particularly important to NAFDAC’s mandate of protecting the health of Nigerians.
Speaking through his representative, Yusuf Ibrahim, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, described Pharmacists as indispensable to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), stressing that access to healthcare is incomplete without access to safe, affordable and effective medicines.
He said NHIA would continue to strengthen collaboration with pharmacists, optimise medicines formularies, improve reimbursement processes and integrate pharmaceutical care into quality assurance frameworks.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), Dr. Abdul Mukhtar, represented at the event by Muhammed Balarabe, head of Ecosystem Enablement, emphasised the critical role of pharmacists in the industrialisation of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
He noted that the initiative’s efforts to strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing could not succeed without the active participation of pharmacists, assuring that PVAC would continue to collaborate with the profession and other relevant stakeholders to build a stronger healthcare value chain.
Representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Pharm. Adeola Adeyemo, and SMOKO Nigeria Limited,Dr. Uchechukwu Lewis Nwokorie, and Results for Development (R4D) Pharm. Jeremiah Ilo, also commended pharmacists for their contributions to medicine safety, patient counselling, supply chain management and improved health outcomes.
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