The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), has called for effective community pharmacy services to make up for the shortage of healthcare personnel across the country.

This was disclosed at the 42nd National Scientific Conference of ACPN, themed ‘Building Effective Community Pharmacy Services for Universal Health Coverage’ held at Dome Event Centre, Delta State.

Contained in a communique signed by the National Chairman, Adewale Oladigbolu, at the end of the conference, the association submitted that the solution to the gaps in healthcare in Nigeria, and the achievement of universal healthcare, was within the pharmacy profession.

The communique partially reads, “Effective community pharmacy services can make up for the shortage of healthcare personnel, resulting in effective healthcare coverage in the country, through the management of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, etcetera, to reduce their burden.”

The association also called for better understanding between patients and pharmacists for the patient to understand his health challenges and also set treatment goals through improved health indices.

It said: “The conference declared a need for the involvement of patients in their own care through a value-based care model in community pharmacies, where the patient is educated about his condition and the indices of improvement. The conference also encourages pharmacists to co-opt the patient into setting treatment goals through improved health indices which are discussed, jointly agreed upon, and monitored, forming a pharmacist-patient coalition.”

Among many other conclusions at the conference, an election took place that saw the emergence of some pharmacists to pilot the affairs of the association for the next year.

Oladigbolu was elected National Chairman, Pharm (Mrs) Bridget Aladi was elected National Vice Chairman and Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore was elected National Secretary, among other elected members of the association.