The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has referred to as for stronger collaboration amongst specialised branches of the pharmacy occupation to enhance affected person care, strengthen skilled competencies and advance pharmacy follow within the nation.
The PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, who made the decision forward of the society’s 99th Annual National Conference, stated stronger pharmacy follow would require superior medical follow, collaboration amongst healthcare professionals, residency coaching, schooling and analysis, notably in pharmacotherapy, remedy security, pharmaceutical preparation and the suitable use of medicines.
He defined that integrating these areas {of professional} experience would strengthen patient-care companies, promote competency improvement, enhance practice-based coaching and improve collaboration between pharmacists and different healthcare professionals.
According to him, current initiatives present a basis for advancing these goals, together with the popularity of the Consultant Pharmacist cadre, the PSN’s collaboration with the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN), and the International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme (IPPR) at Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), facilitated by the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP).
He stated bringing the initiatives into a typical strategic dialogue would assist align skilled priorities with out merging them right into a single programme or disregarding their current governance buildings.
On the Co isnsultant Pharmacist cadre, Tanko famous that its recognition inside federal and state public-service schemes of service introduced a possibility to make clear the tasks and competencies anticipated of pharmacists in superior follow.
He stated constant implementation required clearer definitions of their roles, skilled improvement expectations, reporting relationships and accountability.
“A standardised framework could support more consistent appointments, improve workforce planning and strengthen the integration of advanced pharmacists into multidisciplinary clinical teams,” he stated.
Tanko referred to as for a competency and qualification framework protecting superior medical follow, management, schooling, analysis and repair improvement.
He stated the framework must also make clear pharmacists’ contributions to complicated medication-related selections, therapeutic optimisation, remedy security, coordinated affected person care, mentorship, skilled schooling and high quality enchancment.
He suggested that such a framework ought to draw on related worldwide fashions whereas reflecting Nigeria’s healthcare system, regulatory surroundings and workforce wants.
He added that any proposed medical authority or prescribing tasks should stay in line with relevant Nigerian legal guidelines and rules.
On the PSN-WASPEN collaboration, Tanko stated the partnership provided alternatives to strengthen multidisciplinary vitamin care and outline acceptable roles for pharmacists in medical vitamin and specialised pharmaceutical companies.
He recognized alternatives within the identification and administration of medication-related issues that might have an effect on dietary standing, remedy response and restoration.
Pharmacists, he stated, may additionally contribute to the protected use of medicines in sufferers receiving enteral or parenteral vitamin by addressing compatibility, administration and monitoring necessities.
Other areas embody growing nutrition-support protocols, strengthening medication-safety programs, medical monitoring and high quality enchancment.
Tanko additionally highlighted sterile compounding and specialised pharmaceutical companies as vital areas for skilled improvement and health-system enchancment.
He defined that the PSN, in collaboration with related companions, had superior initiatives to strengthen native pharmaceutical compounding and manufacturing, starting with non-sterile preparations.
According to him, the WASPEN-pharmaceutical trade collaboration represents the second section of the broader initiative, with a deal with sterile compounding and specialised pharmaceutical companies, notably the protected preparation of parenteral vitamin.
He stated the initiative may assist coaching in aseptic methods, sterile compounding and cleanroom practices, alongside the event and implementation of high quality programs, normal working procedures and risk-management processes.
Other potential advantages embody supporting the protected preparation of parenteral vitamin in collaboration with multidisciplinary nutrition-support groups and exploring centralised admixture companies the place possible, correctly ruled and sustainable.
Tanko added that the collaboration may promote technical schooling, medical attachments, analysis and the suitable introduction of compounding applied sciences.
He stated joint workshops, webinars, conferences, mentorship and medical attachments may additional strengthen skilled competencies.
However, he pressured that any new service ought to be assessed towards native wants, regulatory necessities, staffing, infrastructure and sustainable financing.
On the International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme, Tanko stated it was launched at DELSUTH, Oghara, in May 2022 via WAPCP, in collaboration with the instructing hospital and with engagement involving the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
He stated the programme provided a possibility to strengthen the practice-based element of postgraduate pharmacy coaching by connecting theoretical data with supervised medical expertise.
Its improvement, he added, additionally supplied classes in residency programme management, preceptor preparation, competency evaluation and repair enchancment.
Tanko stated efforts to strengthen the programme ought to deal with clear studying goals, competency evaluation, structured medical experiences, preceptor improvement, mentorship and constant suggestions for residents.
He added that multidisciplinary affected person care, remedy security, high quality enchancment and analysis ought to be built-in into the coaching.
“The IPPR should complement existing WAPCP postgraduate training and residency pathways rather than be presented as evidence that traditional training lacks practical value,” he stated.
He famous that selections on increasing the programme ought to be guided by documented expertise, programme readiness, the provision of preceptors, service capability and relevant accreditation necessities.
According to him, the DELSUTH programme is below evaluation by ASHP following an accreditation survey, with a call anticipated by March 2027.
Tanko stated inputs had been obtained from related stakeholders, together with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), PSN, WASPEN, WAPCP, the Association of Consultant Pharmacists, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), healthcare establishments and educational companions.
He pressured the necessity to determine areas requiring fast motion and people needing additional session or technical improvement to make sure the initiatives obtain their goals.
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