By John Attah
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has called for a strategic partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to strengthen healthcare delivery, tackle counterfeit medicines and position the state as a leading pharmaceutical hub in Nigeria.
Soludo made the call on Wednesday while declaring open the four-day 99th Annual National Delegate Conference of the PSN in Awka, where he stressed that pharmacists must play a central role in building an efficient and productive healthcare system.
The conference, tagged Ijele 2026, has as its theme: “One Health, One Pharmacy: Bridging Knowledge, Practice and Policy for National Impact.”
The governor described the gathering as a historic event, noting that no productive healthcare ecosystem could function effectively without the contributions of pharmacists.
He said his administration had placed human capital development, education and healthcare at the centre of its governance priorities, highlighting the introduction of free education from kindergarten to Senior Secondary School Three, alongside free antenatal care in government hospitals.
Soludo said the state had also strengthened its primary healthcare system, with more than 250,000 beneficiaries accessing free antenatal services and over 950 free Caesarean operations provided to expectant mothers.
“Today, I am proud to inform you that over 250,000 beneficiaries of zero-cost antenatal care, and more than 950 free cesarean operations have been provided to expectant mothers,” he said.
On efforts to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution in the state, the governor disclosed that work was ongoing on a state-of-the-art Pharmaceutical Hub in Oba, alongside a Coordinated Wholesale Centre expected to be delivered early next year.
“To further solidify Anambra’s position as the nation’s premier pharma hub, let me also inform you that work on the development of the state-of-the-art Pharmaceutical Hub in Oba, alongside the upcoming Coordinated Wholesale Centre slated for delivery early next year are currently going on in the state,” Soludo said.
He urged the PSN leadership to establish a close working relationship with his administration, particularly in strengthening pharmaceutical regulation and ensuring the safety of medicines distributed across the state.
The governor challenged the society to look inward and tackle professional misconduct and the proliferation of counterfeit medicines, including illicit medicine shops operating under the guise of licensed pharmacies.
He said collaboration between the government and the pharmaceutical profession was necessary to enforce operational standards, protect patients and improve public confidence in the healthcare system.
Earlier, the President of the PSN, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, expressed appreciation to Soludo for his support for the pharmaceutical profession and the state government’s role in bringing the society’s flagship national conference to Anambra.
Ibrahim said the conference theme reflected the need to strengthen the connection between scientific knowledge, professional practice and government policy to achieve meaningful improvements in healthcare delivery.
He also commended the governor’s vision and leadership, recalling that his earlier prediction of Soludo’s electoral victory had come to pass.
The PSN president expressed gratitude to the Anambra State Government for fulfilling its commitment to host the national conference, describing the gathering as an opportunity to advance discussions on the future of pharmacy practice and healthcare development in Nigeria.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for pharmacists, policymakers and other healthcare stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for improving pharmaceutical practice, strengthening medicine regulation and expanding access to quality healthcare.
The call for partnership comes amid ongoing efforts by Anambra State to develop its pharmaceutical infrastructure, with the proposed facilities in Oba expected to form part of the state’s broader ambition to strengthen pharmaceutical production and distribution.
