The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has advised Nigerians to seek the expertise of pharmacists for preventive health and lifestyle guidance, insisting that no health system can thrive without them.
Chairman of PSN Ogun State, Pharm. Oyesunlola Okunuga gave the advice on Wednesday in Abeokuta, in commemoration of the 2025 World Pharmacists Day.
Okunuga opined that when pharmacists are consulted, it guarantees better health outcomes and stronger communities.
She explained that the year’s theme, “Think Health, Think Pharmacist,” is to envision a world where people value health and the professionals who help realise these goals are acknowledged.
Her words, “The public must also take advantage of the pharmacist’s accessibility by seeking their expertise not only for medicines, but also for preventive health and lifestyle guidance.
“By doing so, we ensure that health outcomes improve and communities become more resilient.
“The message of this year’s World Pharmacists Day is clear: no health system can thrive without pharmacists. Behind every safe medicine is the pharmacist who ensures quality and proper use.
“Behind every successful treatment plan is the pharmacist who provides the right guidance. Behind every healthy community is the pharmacist who educates, advocates, and innovates. To ‘Think Health’ is to imagine a society where well-being is prioritized, and to ‘Think Pharmacist’ is to recognize the professional who makes that vision a reality.”
She insisted that behind every successful treatment plan is a pharmacist who provides the right guidance, urging policymakers to give priority to creating an enabling environment that would allow pharmacists fully utilise their skills in all levels of healthcare.
While emphasising that no health system can function effectively without pharmacists, the state PSN boss also stressed the necessity of enhancing interprofessional collaboration among physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to guarantee a cohesive team in the patient’s best interest.
Meanwhile, she praised pharmacists across the country for their commitment and resilience, saying their daily sacrifices, though often unseen, are the backbone of healthier communities.
