Politics Shapes Healthcare,' ACPN Tells Members

|By Ejike Agbata 

Community pharmacists have been urged to become more politically engaged to influence healthcare policies, tackle quackery and strengthen primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

The call was made at the 34th Annual Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Anambra State Chapter, held in Awka on Friday. 

The conference was themed "Advancing Political Systems to Drive Professional Growth and Relevance: A Way Forward for Anambra Community Practice."

In his welcome address, the Anambra State Chairman of ACPN, Hon. Felix Enendu, said the association had resolved to pursue greater political participation to eliminate quackery, expand the role of community pharmacists in primary healthcare and create a more enabling business environment for practitioners.

According to him, political engagement should not be viewed as partisan politics or a contest of bitterness but as a platform for service, advocacy and influence.

"Political advancement means having pharmacists at decision-making tables, building strategic alliances, understanding public policies and speaking with one voice," he said.

He encouraged participants to maximise the opportunities offered by the conference through networking and knowledge sharing.

"The contacts you make today could become the partnerships that grow your business tomorrow," he added.

Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Pauly Onyeka, described pharmacy as one of the noblest professions, noting that its practitioners require a high level of discipline, competence and continuous learning.

The former Anambra State Commissioner for Housing urged pharmacists to maintain professional standards by ensuring their business premises reflect the ethics and values of the profession.

He also advised members to regularly train and retrain their staff, keep their pharmacies neat and properly arranged, stressing that a clean and organised environment helps to build customer confidence and loyalty.

Delivering the keynote address, media executive and public affairs analyst, Chief Uche Nworah, challenged pharmacists to participate more actively in public affairs and policy formulation.

"If policies are made without pharmacists at the table, pharmacists may end up on the menu," he said.

He explained that his call was not necessarily for partisan politics but for meaningful engagement in public policy and governance, stressing that healthcare decisions should not be left entirely to politicians and bureaucrats.

Chief Nworah identified the proliferation of fake drugs, ethical challenges arising from economic hardship, the growing influence of social media, declining public trust, inadequate rural healthcare access, youth engagement and leadership gaps as some of the major challenges confronting the profession.

To address these issues, he advocated the establishment of a Pharmacy Policy and Research Desk, stronger public health communication, expanded rural outreach programmes, digital transformation, strategic partnerships and sustained advocacy for improved healthcare policies.

Also speaking, a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Dr. Emman Ude Akpeh, described pharmacy as a critical pillar of the healthcare system and urged young pharmacists to remain humble and learn from experienced colleagues.

"No one knows it all. Ask questions and continue learning," he advised.

The conference ended with a group photograph and an exhibition of pharmaceutical products by industry stakeholders.