Pharmacists in Niger State marked this year’s World Pharmacists Day with a health walk and symposium in Minna, calling for closer collaboration among all health professionals to improve patient care.
The celebration, themed “Think Health, Think Pharmacist,” began with a walk from the General Hospital, Minna, and ended with a symposium attended by government officials, health workers, and stakeholders.
At the event, the Niger State Head of Service, Abubakar Sadiq Idris, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals to safeguard public health.
He emphasized that creating awareness and recognizing the roles of all health workers remain vital for effective service delivery.
“Pharmacists play a vital role in public health and must be supported with adequate resources and infrastructure to deliver quality service. Effective collaboration among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, and other professionals, alongside public appreciation of their roles, is essential for achieving better health outcomes,” he stated.
In his address, the PSN State Chairman, Ohida Aminu, highlighted the critical contributions of pharmacists in ensuring access to quality healthcare.
He noted that more than 90 per cent of healthcare services revolve around drugs, adding that pharmacists are responsible for educating the public on their safe use and ensuring prescriptions are dispensed accurately.
Aminu further disclosed that the state chapter has been working closely with the Niger State Government, NDLEA, and NAFDAC to tackle the problem of drug misuse.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Yakubu Isah Ma’aji; Guest of Honour, Umar Nasir; and Abubakar Usman Bosso, who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, commended pharmacists, describing this year’s theme as both timely and relevant.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Muhammed Isah Alfa underscored the importance of pharmacists as integral members of the healthcare team. “Pharmacists should never be left out in matters concerning health. Whether in policy discussions or health-related issues, their input is indispensable,” he stressed.
Other activities of the event included a panel discussion on the year’s theme and the swearing-in of new executives of the Young Pharmacists Group (YPG).
