The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has charged pharmacists across the country to intensify the fight against medicine misuse, self-medication, counterfeit drugs, and inappropriate antibiotic use, while embracing artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in healthcare delivery.
PSN President, Pharmacist Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, gave the charge in his message to mark World Pharmacists Day 2026, themed: “Empowering Pharmacists for a Healthier Future”.
Tanko said the changing healthcare landscape required pharmacists to continuously update their knowledge, adopt technology, and practise evidence-based medicine while keeping patients at the centre of care.
He said pharmacists had a responsibility to ensure that medicines were used safely and effectively by educating patients on dosage, timing, precautions, side effects, and possible adverse drug reactions.
“The role of a pharmacist goes far beyond handing out medicines to patients or other paraphernalia of dispensing,” Tanko said.
He also urged pharmacists to strengthen community healthcare by providing services such as vaccination awareness, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, health education, and smoking cessation support.
Tanko called for the implementation of the recent resolution of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to activate pharmacy-based clinics, stressing the importance of proper documentation and data gathering.
On antimicrobial resistance, the PSN president warned against inappropriate antibiotic use, describing the responsible use of anti-infective medicines as an important professional responsibility.
“We are not only treating patients today—we are protecting the health of future generations,” he said.
“Healthcare is not a competition. It is teamwork. When healthcare professionals work together, the greatest beneficiary is the patient.”
The PSN president also disclosed that the Society would celebrate its centenary in the first quarter of 2027, with activities including a Centenary Declaration, launch of a Centenary Endowment Fund, public lectures, a Centenary publication, and a Centenary Banquet and Awards Night.
“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.”
He said pharmacists had an important role to play in building a healthier society, adding that every prescription reviewed, patient counselled, and medicine safely dispensed contributes to better health outcomes.
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