By Desire Obinna
The association said the initiative would give community pharmacists a structured role in primary healthcare while improving access to essential medicines and reducing unnecessary pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals.
It said: “At the centre of strategising for UHC, governments at all levels must structure community pharmacies to provide Primary Health Care services through better access to essential drugs and management of uncomplicated diseases, which ultimately reduces the burden of services on secondary and tertiary health facilities.”
The pharmacists called on community pharmacies to expand beyond medicine dispensing by introducing free basic screening for uncomplicated non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension and diabetes.
They also proposed pharmacy-based clinics for counselling and advocacy on malaria, antenatal care, family planning, smoking cessation and wellness, among other areas within the professional competence of pharmacists.
According to the ACPN, such services must be properly documented, with data generated to support evidence-based advocacy and improve pharmacy practice.
“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,” it said.
The association identified four major gaps that must be addressed to improve patient-centred care in Nigeria: policy and political leadership; evidence and digital transformation; quality and improvement; and collaboration.
It proposed five pillars for healthcare transformation: “One pillar, one vision; quality that inspires trust; digital first, data-driven; primary care partners; and working with health insurers.”
The ACPN also urged pharmacists to invest in scaling up their practices and adopt modern professional and business models capable of delivering Good Pharmacy Practice while responding to changing healthcare needs.
UK model
The association pointed to developments in the United Kingdom as an example of how community pharmacies could be integrated into mainstream primary healthcare.
It recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK supported community pharmacies with £300 million to strengthen their capacity to provide essential services at a time when access to conventional medical services was disrupted.
“At the height of the Covid19 season the UK relied extensively on community pharmacies with the support of £300 million for community pharmacies to potentiate their service,” the ACPN said.
According to the association, pharmacists in the UK helped sustain access to healthcare while general practice surgeries were closed to patients, leading to formal recognition of their contribution.
It contrasted that experience with Nigeria, where, it said, community pharmacists continued to provide accessible and affordable services during the pandemic without comparable financial support or acknowledgement.
The ACPN also cited the expansion of walk-in pharmacy treatment in England under a £340 million investment deal announced in May 2026, describing the development as an extension of the Pharmacy First model.
It said the UK experience demonstrated how community pharmacies could be integrated into primary clinical care to improve access and reduce pressure on conventional medical facilities.
Presidential committee sought
Against this background, the ACPN urged the Federal Government to establish a Presidential Committee on the pharmaceutical sector to examine the Pharmacy First model and other reforms capable of strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
The association said: “We find it necessary to sensitise and mobilise the Federal Government to approve specific investment plans to leverage the Pharmacy First Initiative, one of the best mechanisms to catalyse Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.”
It maintained that Nigeria could adapt relevant international reforms to its local realities by strengthening primary healthcare, improving access to essential medicines and making community-based healthcare more responsive to patients.
The ACPN said achieving such transformation would require stronger governance, resilient health institutions, a less vulnerable medicine supply chain, supportive public policy, digital transformation, sustainable financing and stronger public-private collaboration.
