Mrs Lydia Olarewaju, former Head of the Oncology Pharmacy Unit at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has urged practitioners to prioritise continuous knowledge acquisition to improve service delivery and patient safety.
Olarewaju made the call on Thursday in Ilorin during the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Kwara Pharmacy Day and Merit Award Ceremony.
The theme of the programme was “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures”, with the sub-theme “Together for Better Health”.
Olarewaju observed that the rapidly evolving nature of medicine, drug research and healthcare technology demands that pharmacists remain lifelong learners.
According to her, the pharmacy landscape is evolving daily, with new drugs and treatment guidelines emerging, while patients are becoming increasingly informed.
“If we do not seek knowledge deliberately, we risk becoming irrelevant and, worse, we risk compromising patient care,” she said.
Olarewaju, who is also a consultant pharmacist, noted that knowledge goes beyond the classroom and registration requirements.
She urged pharmacists to attend trainings, read journals, participate in research and embrace digital health tools.
She added that continuous learning would also help pharmacists take leadership roles in public health, drug abuse prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
The pharmacist advised practitioners to prioritise specialisation and collaborate with one another as well as other healthcare professionals.
In his address, the Chairman of PSN Kwara, Mr Mohammed Baba-Abdulmalik, said the programme provided an opportunity to recognise the remarkable contributions of pharmacists who had strengthened and enhanced the image of pharmacy in the state.
Baba-Abdulmalik pointed out that PSN Kwara had recorded a milestone, including the attainment of a record number of approved Fellows of the PSN.
He said the association had also recorded improved remuneration for members of the young pharmacists group and a significant improvement in the remuneration of pharmacists within the Kwara health system.
The PSN boss further disclosed that the association had procured two plots of land for the proposed PSN water factory, which would serve as a capital project and lasting legacy for pharmacists in the state.
Also speaking, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, emphasised the need for collaboration in achieving better health outcomes.
She described the PSN as the custodian of medicines and drugs, adding that the state government recognised the strategic importance of pharmacists to the healthcare sector.
El-Imam commended the government’s health interventions, including the restoration of the pharmacists’ intern scheme and the updating of CONHESS twice.
The commissioner urged the association to safeguard professional ethics and step up research into Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the 2026 Pharmacy Day Merit Awards Ceremony Planning Committee, Dr Kayode Salawu, said the theme of the programme was apt and timely.
He contended that the future of pharmacy could not be built by individuals alone, as it required collaboration, mentorship, commitment and a shared sense of hope.
It was reported that some of those recognised for outstanding service to the association included the commissioner, Dr El-Imam, and Amina Salami, the Managing Director of Omams Pharmacy, Ilorin.
Others were Prof. AbdulGaniyu Giwa, the first substantive Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Ilorin, and Amina Ahmed, a pharmacist and public health professional.
