Ogun PSN advocates stronger roles for pharmacists in healthcare

As the world celebrates this year’s World Pharmacists Day today, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ogun State branch, has called for stronger integration of pharmacists into the nation’s healthcare system, noting their crucial role in promoting community health and improving treatment outcomes.

World Pharmacists Day is celebrated globally every September 25 to recognise the contributions of pharmacists to health systems and communities, with the Ogun PSN urging both government and the public to continue to strengthen the profession’s role in improving healthcare delivery.

The state chairman of PSN, Mrs Oyesunlola Okunuga, said pharmacists remain one of the most accessible healthcare professionals and often the first point of contact for many Nigerians seeking medical care, as she stressed the need for policymakers to create enabling environments that allow pharmacists to fully utilise their expertise across all levels of healthcare.

Okunuga highlighted this year’s lecture with the theme ‘Think health, think pharmacist’, describing it as a clear reminder that healthcare is not just about medicines but the people. She explained that pharmacists are trained to provide health promotion, medication management, and chronic disease monitoring, in addition to dispensing medicines.

“Pharmacists are more than just dispensers of medicines. We are trained healthcare professionals who play a critical role in health promotion, medication management, and chronic disease monitoring,” she said, adding that continuing professional development for members remains central to the society’s objectives.

She further disclosed that Ogun pharmacists are actively involved in outreach programmes, policy dialogues, and collaborations that place patients at the heart of healthcare delivery.

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