The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has urged the Federal Government to deploy community pharmacies as strategic frontline healthcare providers to improve access to care and help decongest secondary and tertiary hospitals. This call was made by the ACPN's National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose, in a statement signed by him and the association's National Secretary, Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore. The ACPN believes that community pharmacies can provide Primary Health Care services and manage uncomplicated diseases.
The ACPN also called for government investment in the Pharmacy First Initiative (PFI), saying the model could accelerate Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by bringing essential healthcare services closer to Nigerians. The association cited the United Kingdom's experience with community pharmacy as evidence of the potential of the Pharmacy First model. In the UK, community pharmacies played a significant role in maintaining access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic when general practice services were disrupted.
The ACPN urged the Federal Government and state governments to create an enabling policy environment for community pharmacies to expand their role beyond dispensing medicines. The association called on pharmacists to provide basic screening services, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks for uncomplicated cases of hypertension and diabetes. Additionally, the ACPN advocated for pharmacy-based clinics offering counselling and advocacy on malaria, antenatal care, family planning, smoking cessation, and wellness.
The association emphasized the importance of proper documentation of services and systematic data collection to generate evidence for policymaking and strengthen advocacy for pharmacy practice. According to the ACPN, Nigeria's health sector must confront critical gaps in policy and political leadership, evidence and digital transformation, quality improvement, and collaboration. The association believes that community pharmacies can help address these gaps.
The ACPN cited a £340 million investment deal announced in May 2026 to expand NHS walk-in pharmacy treatments in England, which builds on the Pharmacy First Initiative and is intended to strengthen the role of community pharmacies as primary clinical care hubs. In contrast, the association noted that during Nigeria's COVID-19 experience, community pharmacies continued providing accessible and affordable services despite the risks but received neither financial support nor formal acknowledgement for their contribution.
The ACPN called on the Federal Government to establish a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to examine the Pharmacy First model and other reforms needed to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry. The committee should explore investment opportunities, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and stronger public-private partnerships that would allow community pharmacies to expand quality healthcare services. The association also urged pharmacists to embrace modern practice models and invest in services that advance Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) and patient-centred care.
The ACPN emphasized that stronger governance, resilient drug supply chains, digital technology, sustainable financing, and effective public-private collaboration are essential to transforming Nigeria's health system. The association believes that strengthening community pharmacy practice will improve access to healthcare while contributing to Nigeria's pursuit of universal health coverage. Community pharmacists must continue to be a trusted and low-cost first-contact workforce in the quest for the true growth and development of the health sector in Nigeria.
Key points
- The ACPN urges the Federal Government to invest in the Pharmacy First Initiative to accelerate Universal Health Coverage.
- The association calls for the deployment of community pharmacies as strategic frontline healthcare providers to decongest hospitals.
- The ACPN advocates for the creation of a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to examine reforms needed to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry.
