WAPCP-Nigeria urges expanded consultant pharmacist roles to improve patient safety

–Unveils newsletter at 8th Scientific Conference

The Nigeria Chapter of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) has called for the expansion of consultant pharmacists’ clinical roles across Nigeria’s healthcare system, saying the move is critical to improving patient safety, reducing medication errors and strengthening the country’s health outcomes.

The call formed the central message of the College’s 8th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Lagos from 12 to 14 July, 2026, where pharmacy leaders, regulators, academics and healthcare stakeholders agreed that consultant pharmacists should be integrated more effectively into multidisciplinary healthcare teams to optimise patient care and medication safety.

The conference had as its theme, “Expanding Consultant Pharmacists’ Clinical Roles in Nigeria to Optimise Patient Care and Medication Safety.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chairman of WAPCP Nigeria Chapter, Dr Hafusat Adesina, said consultant pharmacists have become indispensable to modern healthcare delivery because of their expertise in medication management, clinical decision-making and patient care. She urged governments at all levels to fully implement the consultant pharmacy 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, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Osun State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Moteehat Olu-Lawal, described the expansion of consultant pharmacists’ clinical responsibilities as a healthcare imperative for Nigeria rather than an option.

She observed that Nigeria’s population of over 200 million is currently served by fewer than 20,000 registered pharmacists, resulting in a pharmacist-to-population ratio 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, however, lamented that implementation of the consultant pharmacist cadre remains poor across the country. Citing survey findings presented during the conference, she disclosed that only eight of Nigeria’s 33 teaching hospitals, nine of 24 Federal Medical Centres, 11 of 22 specialist hospitals and five of the 36 states have fully implemented the cadre. She attributed the slow progress to inadequate institutional support, workforce shortages, poor recognition of consultant pharmacists, lack of structured career pathways and limited access to patients’ clinical records.

To reverse the trend, the keynote speaker advocated stronger inter-professional collaboration, expansion of residency and specialist training programmes, increased recruitment of pharmacists into hospital practice, greater investment in digital health technologies and dedicated funding for consultant pharmacy services. She 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 improve advocacy.

Chairman of the occasion, Pharm. (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 becoming more informed through digital platforms and artificial intelligence before consulting healthcare professionals, making it imperative for pharmacists to continuously update their knowledge and technological competence to remain relevant in modern healthcare practice.

Also speaking, President of the WAPCP, Prof. Hasipha Tarpeh, who was represented at the event, commended the Nigeria Chapter for sustaining efforts towards advancing 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 Pharmacy (NAPharm), Prof. Lere Baale, described consultant pharmacists as critical partners in healthcare delivery, noting that they ensure medicines achieve their intended therapeutic purposes safely, effectively and compassionately. He said the increasing burden of 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.

Secretary-General of WAPCP, Prof. Olufunsho Awodele, said the conference was carefully designed to build the capacity of consultant pharmacists while addressing emerging healthcare challenges. He reiterated the College’s commitment to continuous professional education and specialist training, stressing that strengthening pharmacists’ competencies remains essential to improving patient care and medication safety throughout West Africa.

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.

One of the major highlights of the conference was a panel discussion on the first sub-theme, “Leveraging Health Technology and Data Systems to Improve Medication Safety, Medicine Quality and Therapeutic Outcomes in Nigeria.” Panelists at the session agreed that digital technologies, electronic medical records, artificial intelligence and clinical decision-support systems have become indispensable tools for reducing medication errors, improving prescribing practices and enhancing patient outcomes. They called for 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 increasing local pharmaceutical production would not only improve medicine security and reduce dependence on imported medicines but also strengthen quality assurance, enhance supply chain resilience and guarantee uninterrupted access to essential medicines. They urged the government to have the political will, provide policy incentives, infrastructure and financing to accelerate local pharmaceutical manufacturing as part of efforts to achieve national health security.

The high point of the three-day conference was 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 of consultant pharmacists, while promoting collaboration and continuous professional development among members.