Nearly 60% of patients consult pharmacists before visiting hospitals – ACPN

Nearly 60% of patients seek help from pharmacists before visiting hospitals, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), has disclosed.

Ambrose Ezeh, the ACPN Chairman, who stated this during a stakeholders engagement meeting in Abuja, emphasised that community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, further reiterating the need to turn community pharmacies to health hubs.

He advocated that when pharmacists operate within a structured professional system supported by continuous learning and evaluation, the quality of healthcare delivery improves significantly.

The stakeholders’ meeting formed part of efforts to advance the world’s first Community Pharmacist Assessment and Career Progression Institute designed to drive structured career progression in Nigeria and across the global healthcare sector.

A major highlight of the meeting was the announcement that the CPACPI framework was endorsed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) during its 83rd World Congress in Copenhagen.

Ezeh explained that the CPACPI initiative was designed to evaluate, support and elevate community pharmacy practice while rewarding competence, strengthening professional confidence and improving job satisfaction across the sector.

Presenting the technical framework of the initiative, Iyeseun Asieba, Chairman of the CPACPI Board, highlighted the need to mobilise Nigeria’s health sector potential amid the growing professional migration trend widely referred to as the “Japa Syndrome.”

She warned that the shortage of skilled healthcare personnel continues to affect the performance of the health system.

According to her, transforming community pharmacies into clinical health hubs through targeted investments in training, infrastructure and professional development would enable Nigeria to strengthen healthcare delivery and exceed global standards in pharmacy practice.

She explained that CPACPI is a comprehensive professional development platform that introduces standardised evaluation procedures across three major pillars: capacity building, quality improvement and career band progression.