The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has said nearly six of 10 patients in Nigeria seek help from community pharmacists before visiting hospitals, highlighting the critical role they play in healthcare delivery.

In his welcome address at a stakeholders engagement meeting in Abuja’, the national chairman of ACPN, Ambrose Ezeh, reaffirmed the profession’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery through improved capacity development.

Ezeh emphasised that community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, noting that “nearly 60 per cent of patients seek help from pharmacists before visiting hospitals.”

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

In a landmark move to strengthen the profession and improve health outcomes, the Community Pharmacist Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI), unveiled a pioneering framework designed to drive structured career progression and transform community pharmacies into clinical health hubs.

The event brought together leaders from the pharmacy profession, government regulators, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to discuss collaboration and implementation of the initiative, titled “Pharmacy Forward: Performance, Collaboration and Health Transformation.”

The CPACPI framework recently received global recognition, endorsed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) at its 83rd World Congress in Copenhagen, marking a milestone for community pharmacy practice worldwide.

Pharm  Ezeh, stressed the importance of structured professional development for community pharmacists. “When pharmacists operate within a structured system supported by continuous learning and evaluation, the quality of healthcare delivery improves significantly,” he said, citing the pivotal role pharmacists played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The technical foundation of the framework was detailed by the Chairman of the CPACPI Board, Dr. Iyeseun Asieba,

who emphasised the urgent need to address the growing migration of skilled healthcare personnel, widely referred to as the “Japa Syndrome.” The framework aims to standardise evaluation across three key pillars: capacity building, quality improvement, and career band progression.

The initiative also emphasised the integration of community pharmacists into primary healthcare, improving access to preventive services, treatment, and patient support, as highlighted by Dr. Peter Agada.

The meeting recognised private sector leaders supporting the framework, including CEOs of Dozie & Dozie Pharmacy, Pharmacare Pharmacy, Nett Pharmacy, and Finrel Pharmacy, among others. The engagement also received strong endorsements from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), and other stakeholders, signaling unified professional support.

CPACPI leaders stressed that sustained success will depend on ongoing collaboration between government institutions, regulatory bodies, development partners, and the wider pharmaceutical community, with calls for legislative, financial, and institutional backing to sustain the initiative.