Pharmacists under the auspices of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, have called on the federal government to without waisting more time, recognise community pharmacies as primary healthcare centres.

ACPN National Chairman, Pharmacist Ambrose Ezeh made this suggestion in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Tuesday.

Ezeh said that the presence of pharmacies at community level makes them critical assets in achieving universal health coverage in the country.

He used the opportunity to call on the federal government to formally recognise them as primary healthcare centres.

Ezeh also disclosed that pharmacists should be fully integrated into grassroots healthcare and rural development initiatives.

He added that this would help in order to improve health outcomes across the country.

“I also reiterate the association’s advocacy for the formal recognition of community pharmacies as Primary Healthcare Centres,” he added, arguing that their accessibility and frontline presence make them critical assets in achieving universal health coverage.