Pharmacists must go beyond drug dispensing, embrace technology

Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) on Monday urged pharmacists across the country to move beyond the traditional role of dispensing medicines and take a more active role in patient care, disease prevention and the transformation of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

The PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, made the call in his message to mark the 2026 World Pharmacists Day, with the theme, “Empowering Pharmacists for a Healthier Future.”

Tanko said pharmacists were not merely medicine dispensers but healthcare professionals, educators, counsellors, advocates and critical partners in patient care.

He said: “When many people hear the word pharmacist, they may simply think of someone who dispenses medicines. The role of a pharmacist goes far beyond handing medicines to patients or other paraphernalia of dispensing.

“Pharmacists are healthcare professionals, educators, counsellors, advocates, and important partners in patient care.”

According to him, pharmacists help patients understand their medicines, ensure that medications are used safely and effectively, identify possible drug-drug, food-drug and drug-disease interactions, promote treatment adherence and provide advice on disease prevention and healthy living.

He described community pharmacists as among the most accessible healthcare professionals, noting that Nigerians often seek their services before visiting hospitals.

Tanko said the rapid changes in healthcare, including advances in artificial intelligence, digital health, new medicines and personalised treatment, required pharmacists to continuously upgrade their knowledge and embrace technology.

He said: “Pharmacists must therefore continue to improve their knowledge, embrace technology, practice evidence-based medicine, and place the patient at the centre of everything they do.”

The PSN president also warned against unsafe medication practices, self-medication, antimicrobial resistance, counterfeit medicines and inappropriate use of antibiotics.

He stressed that pharmacists had a responsibility to protect patients from medication-related harm by ensuring that they understood the correct dosage, timing, possible side effects, precautions and adverse drug reactions associated with their medicines.

“A medicine can save a life when it is used correctly, but the same medicine can cause harm when it is used incorrectly,” he said.

Tanko called on pharmacists to expand their public health roles beyond the pharmacy counter by supporting vaccination awareness, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, health education, smoking cessation and maternal and child health programmes.

He urged pharmacists to implement the recent resolution of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) on establishing pharmacy-based clinics to provide such services, while ensuring proper documentation and data collection.

The PSN president further stressed the need for greater collaboration among healthcare professionals, saying the ultimate beneficiary of teamwork in the health sector was the patient.“Healthcare is not a competition. It is teamwork. When healthcare professionals work together, the greatest beneficiary is the patient,” he said.

Tanko also announced that the PSN would commence activities marking its centenary in the first quarter of 2027.

According to him, the centenary programme will include a formal declaration, launch of a Centenary Endowment Fund, public lectures, a centenary publication, as well as a Centenary Banquet and Awards Night.

He charged pharmacists and future pharmacists to uphold the dignity and integrity of the profession, put patients first, embrace innovation, continue learning, speak out against unsafe medication practices and mentor younger pharmacists.

He said: “The future of healthcare will require courage, innovation, compassion, and collaboration. And pharmacists have an important role to play in that future.”

Tanko added: “A healthier future is not something that will happen by chance. It is something we must build together.”

He said every prescription carefully reviewed, every patient counselled, every medicine safely dispensed and every health education programme delivered contributed to building a healthier society.

“We are not just dispensers of medicines. We are guardians of safe and effective medication use. We are educators. We are patient advocates. We are partners in healthcare. And together, we are pharmacists for a healthier future,” he stated.