PCN Reaffirms Commitment to Public Safety at Strategic Mid-Term Review

By Ifeoluwa D. Afolayan

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has successfully concluded a four-day stakeholders’ engagement and mid-term review workshop for its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan. Held in Keffi from 24 to 27 March 2026, the event was organised in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria and relevant partners.

The workshop served as a critical platform for reflection and collaboration, aimed at strengthening the regulation of pharmacy education and practice across the country. With a clear mandate to regulate pharmacy education, training, and practice, and to safeguard public health through quality pharmaceutical services, the PCN’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan is not just an administrative roadmap – it is a national health transformation instrument.

The development of the current strategic plan was the result of an inclusive and consultative design process. It integrated insights and had multi-stakeholder consultations from technical working groups, professional bodies, development partners, and regulatory collaborators.

This collaborative spirit continued throughout the Keffi workshop, where participants reviewed progress made since the plan’s inception, identified implementation gaps, and proposed strategies to bolster the Council’s seven core goals: Education, Training, and Capacity Building; Registration and Licensing; Pharmacy Practice and Sustainable Healthcare Delivery; Quality Standards Determination; Inspection, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Enforcement; Communication and Stakeholders’ Engagement; Internally generated resources to support strategy.

A central theme of the workshop was the alignment of the PCN’s objectives with broader national and global health policies. Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals and the Health Sector Renewal Initiative (HSRI), emphasising that a well-regulated pharmaceutical sector is essential for a healthy populace.

Present at the review meeting was the Chairperson, PCN Governing Council, Pharm (Hajiya) Wosilat Giwa, FPSN; PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko; Dr Tayo Hamzat, WHO Nigeria; Pharm James Yakubu, representing Director, Food and Drug Services; Prof. Lere Baale, the consultant; Pharm. Cyril Usifoh, immediate past president of PSN; partners as PSN Foundation, Society for Family Health; as well as PCN management and staff.

The PCN expressed its deep appreciation for the contributions of its partners, particularly the WHO. The Council noted that its commitment to transparent, evidence-driven decision-making remains unwavering as it enters the next phase of the plan’s implementation.

The outcomes of the mid-term review are expected to guide the Council’s activities through 2028. By focusing on institutional strengthening and multi-sectoral partnerships, the PCN aims to ensure that pharmaceutical services in Nigeria meet the highest international standards, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all citizens.