The Nigeria Chapter of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) has called for the expansion of consultant pharmacists’ clinical roles across the country’s healthcare system, saying the move is critical to improving patient safety, reducing medication errors and strengthening health outcomes.
The call was the central message of the College’s 8th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting, held in Lagos from 12 to 14 July, where pharmacy leaders, regulators, academics and other healthcare stakeholders agreed that consultant nsultant pharmacists should be more effectively integrated. into multidisciplinary healthcare teams to optimise patient care and medication safety.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Ac themed “Expanding Consultant Pharmacists’ sts’ Clinical Clinical Role Roles in Nigeria ria to Optimise Patient Care and Medication Safety”, the Chairman of the WAPCP Nigeria.
Dr Hafusat Adesina, said consultants are indispensable to modem healthcare delivery because of the their expertise in medication management, clinical decision-making and patient care.
She urged governments. all levels to to fully implement the consultant pharmacist cadre across federal and state health institutions, noting that doing so would improve medication safety, strengthen healthcare delivery and ultimately save lives.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Osun State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Board, Dr Moteehat Olu-Lawal, described the expansion of consultant pharmacists’ clinical responsibilities a healthcare imperative for Nigeria rather than an option
She observed that Nigeria’s population of more than 200 million is currently served by fewer than 20,000 registered pharmacists, resulting a pharmacist-to-population ratio that falls far below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation. She noted that, globally, one in every 20 patients suffers harm from preventable. medication-related events, while more than 50 per cent of adverse drug events can be prevented through pharmacist-led interventions. According to her, consultant pharmacists are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap by ensuring medicines are used safely, effectively and appropriately.
She further lamented the poor implementation of the consultant pharmacist cadre across the country. Citing survey findings presented during the conference, she disclosed that only eight of Nigeria’s 33 teaching hospitals, nine of the 24 Federal Medical Centres, 11 of the 22 specialist hospitals and five of the country’s 36 states have fully implemented ave fully implemented cadre. She attributed the slow progress to inadequate institutional support, workforce shortages, poor recognition of consultant pharmacists, the lack of structured career pathways and limited access to patients’ clinical records.
To address these challenges, the keynote speaker advocated collaboration, stronger inter-professional residency and specialist training nes, increased recruitment of pharmacists into hospital practice, greater investment in digital health for consultant pharmacy services, he also called on healthcare institutions to integrate consultant pharmacists into ward rounds, ethics committees, multidisciplinary care teams and clinical governance structures, while documenting their interventions to demonstrate value and strengthen advocacy.
Chairman of the occasion, Sir Ike Onyechi, said consultant pharmacists should become indispensable members of healthcare teams in every government health institution. He urged pharmacists to continually improve the quality of care they provide while embracing emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence to strengthen pharmaceutical care and clinical decision-making. According to him, patients are increasingly seeking health information through digital platforms and artificial intelligence before consulting healthcare professionals, making it imperative for pharmacists to continually update their knowledge and technological competence to remain relevant in modern healthcare practice.
The WAPCP, Prof. Hasipha Tarpeh, who was represented at the event, commended the Nigeria Chapter’s sustained efforts in consultant pharmacy practice in the country. She encouraged members of the College to remain committed to promoting excellence, professional development and patient-centred pharmaceutical care across West Africa.
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigeria Academy of Pharm. demy of Pharmacy (NAPharm), Prof. Lere Baale, described consultant pharmacists as critical partners in healthcare delivery, noting that they help ensure medicines achieve their intended therapeutic purposes safely. effectively and compassionately. He the increasing chronic diseases, polypharmacy and advances in precision medicine require consultant pharmacists to assume more strategic clinical roles in improving therapeutic outcomes and protecting patients from medication-related harm.
The Secretary-General of WAPCP, Prof. Olufunsho Awodele, said the conference was carefully designed to build the capacity of consultant pharmacists while addressing emerging challenges. He reiterated the College’s commitment to continuous professional education and specialist stressing that strengthening pharmacists competencies remains essential to improving patient care and medication safety across West Africa.
The Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu, challenged consultant pharmacists not to relent in providing optimal pharmaceutical care, urging them to continue supporting patients through evidence-based medication management and professional excellence.
A major highlight of the conference was a panel discussion on the first sub-theme, “Leveraging Health Technology and Data Systems nology and Data Systems to Improve Medication Safety. Medicine Quality and Therapeutic Outcomes in Nigeria.’
Panellists agreed that digital technologies electronic medical records, artificial intelligence intelligence and clinical decisions and support systems have become indispensable tools for reducing medication errors, improving prescribing practice: and enhancing patient outcomes. They called fo the accelerated adoption of digital health solutions across hospitals while equipping pharmacists with the skills needed to maximise the benefits of emerging technologies.
A second panel session focused on “Strengthening Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Nigeria for Medicine Security, Quality and Sustainable Patient Care”. Participants emphasised that production would not only improve medicine security and reduce dependence on imported medicines but also strengthen supply and supply chain resilience a ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines.
They urged the government to demonstrate the political will by providing policy incentives, infrastructure and financing to accelerate local pharmaceutical manufacturing as part of efforts to achieve national health security.
The conference culminated in the unveiling of the WAPCP Nigeria Chapter Newsletter, which the College said would serve as a platform for disseminating professional updates, research findings, policy developments and achievements in consultant and achieve practice, while promoting collaboration professorial development among members.
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