It was a gathering meant for intellectual discourse and thought-provoking ideas, as the leadership of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) across the Thirty- Six (36) States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other major stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector, assembled in Lagos for a brainstorming session at the recently held 2018 ACPN National Summit.
The summit, themed: “Innovative Disruptions in Community Pharmacy Practice: Creating Trans-generational Pharmacies”, had in attendance, eminent personalities in the pharmaceutical industry, including the President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mazi. Sam Ohuabunwa; Pharm. Lere Baale, chief executive officer, Business School, Netherland, who was also the chairman of the occasion; Pharm. Lawan Moshood, director, Food and Drugs, Federal Ministry of Health, who also represented the Minister of Health, Dr Issac Adewole; Dr Ejiro Foyibo, PSN vice-president, South; Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, former chairman, ACPN Board of Trustees; Dr Albert Kelong Alkali, immediate past national chairman, ACPN.
Other notable pharmacists present at the summit were: Dr Dumebi O. Mordi, principal consultant, Rx3.0 Pharmacy and Consulting, who was the keynote speaker; Pharm. (Alh.) Ismail Adebayo, former national chairman, ACPN; Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Akhimien, former president, PSN; Pharm. Remi Adeseun; Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Pharm. Folashade Lawal; Pharm. Chima Ogbu, and Pharm. Anthony Oyawole, among others.
Addressing participants at the summit held at the Conference Hall of Presken Hotel and Resorts, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, the chairman of the occasion, Pharm. Lere Baale, commended the ACPN national chairman and his team for coming up with such laudable programme, saying the challenge bedeviling community pharmacy practice today is borne out of lack of ideas and innovations.
He noted that leadership skills, as well as cultural values are parts of the requirements for having a successful business venture. He stated that any community pharmacist practitioner that takes more than the profit generated from the business is stealing from the business, adding that successful business owners are only those who have discipline and integrity.
The national chairman, ACPN, Pharm. Samuel Adekola, assured members of the objectives of his administration in shaping the future of community pharmacy practice in Nigeria by ensuring that solid foundation is laid for the sustenance of every community pharmacist’s business, saying his utmost vision is to make every community pharmacy’s investment a trans-generational deal.
Affirming his commitment to ensure community pharmacy practice moves to the next level, the elated Adekola said the summit was a history-making event for the evolution of community pharmacy in the country, noting that the selection of participants for the summit was not an easy task as it took his team some interplay of wisdom and discretion to arrive at the names of those selected.
Also speaking at the event graced by the leaders and representatives of all interest groups of the PSN, the PSN President, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said the summit was timely and apt as it coincided with the period his administration is planning to start working on the best approach to take pharmacy from where it is presently to the level it is supposed to be.
 across the Thirty- Six (36) States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other major){kind=link}