The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has concluded preparations to host its 45th Annual International Scientific Conference, “Unity 2026,” scheduled from July 27 to August 1, 2026. Taking place at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, the high-level policy convention will gather healthcare administrators, legislative leaders, and medical experts to transform community pharmacies into primary access nodes for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) framework.
The scientific assembly focuses on three primary structural and regulatory interventions:
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Expanding the Sub-National Health Insurance Footprint: To initiate the policy week, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General of the NHIA, alongside ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, will lead a public advocacy campaign themed “Health Insurance for All: Leaving No One Behind.” Dr. Ohiri will present a strategic framework detailing how formal contracts between public insurers and retail community pharmacists can reduce out-of-pocket medical expenditure and provide affordable, timely services.
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Formalizing Pharmacy Integration into Primary Care: Addressing historical gaps in local healthcare access, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, will deliver an institutional roadmap for strengthening national healthcare systems. The framework supports ACPN’s ongoing call to formally recognize community pharmacies as Primary Healthcare Centres capable of delivering basic clinical triage, immunizations, and chronic disease management, thereby reducing pressure on overstretched public hospitals.
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Securing Local Manufacturing and Supply Chains: Keynote speaker and Managing Director of Evans Therapeutics Limited, Pharm. Adewale Oyenuga, highlighted that strengthening local drug manufacturing is essential to ensuring access to quality medicines. According to Central Planning Committee Chairman, Pharm. Chidi Dozie, the event will serve as a cross-border knowledge exchange hub for local and international delegates to optimize pharmaceutical supply chains, align national standards with global best practices, and improve operational resilience against evolving regulations.
The conference has drawn significant backing from top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. This high-level participation underscores a growing recognition of pharmacists as vital contributors to national health security and governance.
