Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, are expected to lead other dignitaries at the 2026 World Pharmacists Day celebration organised by the Oyo State branch of the PSN.
The week-long celebration, scheduled to hold from September 19 to 27, will bring together government officials, healthcare professionals and industry leaders to highlight the evolving role of pharmacists in healthcare delivery.
Themed “Empowering Pharmacists for a Healthier Future,” the programme will focus on the contributions of pharmacists to public health, primary healthcare, medication safety, clinical practice and healthcare innovation.
Chairman of the 2026 World Pharmacists Day Planning Committee, Adebayo Olukayode Gbadamosi, said the celebration would provide an opportunity to recognise the contributions of pharmacists while advocating greater recognition and integration of the profession into health policies.
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“World Pharmacists Day is our opportunity to celebrate and make visible the profession’s contributions to better health outcomes,” Gbadamosi said.
He stressed the need for governments and other stakeholders to invest in the pharmacy profession, noting that strengthening it remained essential to building resilient and future-ready health systems.
The host and Chairman of the PSN, Oyo State branch, Pharm. (Col.) Victor Segun Ajanaku (rtd), FPSN, FCAI, said the theme reflected the branch’s commitment to professional excellence and improved patient care.
Ajanaku described pharmacists as essential partners in healthcare delivery, adding that strengthening their competencies would improve the way medicines were prescribed, dispensed and managed across healthcare institutions and communities.
He said the celebration would also provide an avenue to recognise practitioners whose dedication and contributions continued to enhance the image, credibility and impact of the pharmaceutical profession in Oyo State and beyond.
The Chief Host and President of the PSN, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, FPSN, called for stronger policies and increased investment to enable pharmacists to play a more integrated role in the healthcare system.
Ibrahim echoed the position of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), stressing the need for governments, policymakers, regulators, health insurers and the public to support pharmacy education, professional development and the full integration of pharmacists into healthcare delivery.
The keynote speaker, Pharm. Lekan Asuni, FPSN, FNAPharm, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lefas Pharmaceutical, said the changing healthcare landscape required pharmacists to move beyond traditional roles centred on medicine supply.
Asuni said pharmacists would increasingly be relied upon by patients for health information, wellness management and guidance on clinical options, given their accessibility and clinical knowledge.
He identified medication safety, adherence, medicines optimisation, antimicrobial stewardship, pharmacovigilance, chronic disease management, public health programmes and supply-chain quality as areas where pharmacists could make greater impact.
He, however, called for appropriate financing and remuneration mechanisms where pharmacists were expected to provide services such as vaccination, screening, medication reviews, chronic disease support and structured health education.
Also speaking, Guest Speaker and Managing Director/CEO of CapitalSage Holdings and Johnvents Group, Mr John Alamu, emphasised the importance of continuous professional development in maintaining a competent and future-ready pharmacy workforce.
Alamu urged pharmacists to complement formal education with regular training, research, professional reading and the adoption of digital health technologies.
He noted that continuous learning would enable pharmacists to expand their impact beyond dispensing medicines through medication counselling, monitoring treatment outcomes and preventive healthcare, while contributing to patient safety and reducing healthcare costs.
Governor Makinde is expected to attend the celebration alongside the First Lady of Oyo State, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, who will serve as Special Guest of Honour.
Makinde, while reaffirming the state government’s support for the profession, described pharmacists as critical custodians of medicines, stressing their importance to drug safety, supply-chain management and primary healthcare delivery.
The celebration will be chaired by Engr. (Chief) O. O. Oyetade, FNSE, FNIHTE, as Chairman of the Occasion, while Pharm. (Chief) Rahamon Jimoh Bioku, FPSN, FNAPharm, JP, Founder/CEO of BIORAJ Pharmaceutical, will also make special contributions.
The week-long programme will feature a series of activities at designated venues across Oyo State and culminate in a red-carpet Awards Night on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
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