Angela Onwuzoo
Creating an enabling and attractive environment will help us to contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, female pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Lady Pharmacists tell the Federal Government
The association said its members can make a significant impact on healthcare in the country in tandem with the 2030 SDGs across the various dimensions of practice, especially goal three.
SDG 3, aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages”, and the declaration emphasises that to attain the overall health goal, ‘we must achieve Universal Health Coverage and access to quality health care.
The pharmacists spoke at the just concluded 16th Biennial conference of the association themed: ‘Pharmacy: Making Healthcare Impacts in Tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030’, held in Benin City, Edo State.
In a communiqué issued after the conference, the vital roles played by pharmacists in optimising medication used to improve the health of patients were highlighted.
These vital roles, the association noted, are crucial in advancing Goal 3 of the SDGs and therefore, called on all pharmacists, especially lady pharmacists to continue to deliver exemplary patient care by ensuring access to essential medicines.
The communiqué was jointly signed by the ALP national Chairman, Scholastica Lan, and the National Secretary, Ngozi Egboh.
The pharmacists also stressed the need to provide preventive health services, manage chronic diseases, combat infectious diseases, promote mental health, support emergency preparedness, and advocate health policy to ensure qualitative health outcomes and healthy lives for the Nigerian populace.
Giving insight into the resolutions reached at the end of the conference, the national chairman said beyond the role of the lady pharmacists in contributing to the realization of the SDGs, the conference examined other critical areas affecting the health and well-being of Nigerians.
Lan said, “The Conference called for proactive measures by pharmacists to ensure controlled drugs are kept out of reach of children and street corners. It maintains that ethical drug distribution of Central Nervous System stimulants and other substances of abuse will go a long way in curbing illicit access.
“ It reiterated an earlier call to the government to ensure full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines to enable pharmacists to fulfil their roles in this implementation.3.
“ The pharmacists agreed that traditional models of pharmacy practice are undergoing a metamorphosis and called on lady pharmacists and indeed all pharmacists to embrace technological advancements to harness new opportunities for novel practice models for improved health outcomes for the health-seeking populations.
Lan, a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria called on the government and all relevant stakeholders to promote specialization in pharmacy practice by putting in place the required policies and procedures to be met by those ready to pursue them.
The pharmacist also urged the government to provide an enabling environment to ensure pharmacists contribute to promoting the rational use of drugs, manage chronic diseases, and support public health initiatives.
According to her, this should be within the nation’s healthcare delivery system in a manner that will assure positive recognition of these contributions nationwide.
“The conference reiterated the vital role pharmacists play in optimising medication use to improve patient health, a pivotal role in advancing Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“It called on all pharmacists, especially lady pharmacists to continue to deliver exemplary patient care by ensuring access to essential medicines, providing preventive health services, and managing chronic diseases.
“ Also combating infectious diseases, promoting mental health, supporting emergency preparedness, and advocating health policy to assure qualitative health outcomes and healthy lives for the Nigerian populace”, she added
Lan challenged lady pharmacists to follow their passion, be innovative, and specialize in diverse areas of pharmacy practice.
She encouraged them to embrace technology and digital applications as they develop these new practice areas with an emphasis on documentation of patient care activities, patient data, and pharmaceutical care.
The national chairman also emphasised the importance of mentorship and its direct impact on quality and sustainable pharmacy practice, describing it as the sacred bond forged between seasoned practitioners and eager learners and a symbiotic relationship that transcends time and leaves an indelible mark on both mentor and mentee.
She called on all lady pharmacists to embrace the transformative power of mentorship in shaping the future of the profession, adding, “ Conference deliberated on ALPs Project ’91 and the importance of medicinal plant products for healing and well-being.
“It discussed the application of herbal medicine and integrated pharmacy practice and lady pharmacists were encouraged to enhance their knowledge and skills about medicinal plants and apply them to patient care.
“ It also called on state chapters to domesticate Project ’91 in their state by establishing standardized medicinal plant gardens to serve as a source of properly cultivated and harvested herbal products for the State. Conference called on state governments to support this laudable initiative.”
Lan underscored the importance of collaboration, noting that it remains paramount to improving and strengthening the pharma value chain for the end user.
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