The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has called for a series of policy reforms and improved regulation within the pharmaceutical sector.
The pharmacists among others declared that the Government must show more commitment to unlocking the Pharma-sector value chain by overcoming a plethora of challenges including fragmented coordination of the sector, checkmating the high incidence of unqualified and untrained hands who dabble into the professional terrain, prevalence of fake and counterfeit medicines because of a glaring inadequacy in the implementation mode of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), dearth of inculcation of technology, poor access to capital and infrastructures which are below par.
These were contained in a communique it issued at the end of its 43rd Annual National Conference themed “Advancing Community Pharmacy Practice Through Innovation and Collaboration,” which brought together pharmacists, government officials, and industry stakeholders to discuss challenges and opportunities facing community pharmacies in Nigeria.
A key takeaway was the urgent need for policy changes that encourage innovation and collaboration in community pharmacy practices. Pharmacists believe this will lead to better service delivery, research, and ultimately, improved patient care.
The conference also highlighted the critical role of community pharmacies in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Pharmacists urged the government to recognise them as primary healthcare centres and prioritize their role in the healthcare system.
Further, concerns were raised about the prevalence of fake and counterfeit medicines, fragmented coordination within the sector, and the high cost of drugs.
They called for stricter regulations, better funding for regulatory agencies like NAFDAC and PCN, and effective implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG).
The conference noted that better funding will encourage regulatory agencies to abrogate some of the tariffs that have become burdensome on Pharma manufacturers as well as importers particularly at a time the escalating cost of drugs cannot be left solely to the vagaries of the impressive Executive order on the Pharma Sector to crush drug prices.
The conference also addressed the need for the expansion of community pharmacy services to rural areas.
The Conference reviewed recent developments at NHIA, calling for immediately necessary legal action to compel the implementation of the NHIA Act as amended and the PCN Act 2022 as it relates to the appropriate dispensing of drugs in social health insurance endeavours in Nigeria bearing in mind that over N1Trillion of drugs have been dispensed since 2006 by persons who have not aligned with the necessary provisions of law.
Commending the Federal Ministry of Health, FMoH, for resuscitating the National Prescription Policy (NPP) brought to front burners in 2013 by the PSN leadership, they appreciated the trajectory of the NPP committee but stressed the need to appoint a Pharmaceutical Consultant who must be a Registered Pharmacist within the purview of the PCN Act and a Medical Consultant who must be a Registered Medical Doctor within the ambit of the MDCN Act.
The ACPN is looking to leverage technology and peer-to-peer collaboration models to achieve this goal.
The conference leadership also announced the establishment of an ACPN Innovation Committee to oversee ongoing projects and encourage continuous progress. Additionally, the launch of an online platform was celebrated as a tool for members to establish an online presence and connect directly with clients.
The conference concluded with the election of new National Executive Committee (NEC) members for the 2024/25 year.
