World Pharmacists Day: PCN Registrar Calls for Policy, Regulatory Reforms to Strengthen Pharmacy Practice

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, FPSN, has called for policy enhancement, regulatory reviews, professional repositioning and stronger capacity building to enable pharmacists to respond effectively to the rapidly changing healthcare landscape.

The PCN Registrar made the call in his goodwill message to pharmacists in Nigeria and across the world as the profession marks the 2026 World Pharmacists Day on Friday, September 25.

The 2026 observance is themed “Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures,” a theme that highlights the need to strengthen the profession as healthcare systems face significant demographic, disease and technological changes.

Speaking on the significance of the theme, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed said the healthcare space was undergoing major developments that were reshaping the way care is delivered.

He identified demographic transition, the growing burden of communicable diseases and technological advancement as some of the developments influencing the healthcare environment.

The Registrar also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making and research, noting that these developments were creating new dimensions to which the pharmacy profession must respond.

According to him, pharmacists already play important roles across these evolving areas of healthcare, but require appropriate institutional and professional support to maximise their contributions.

Emphasising the need for stronger institutional support for the profession, the PCN Registrar said pharmacists require policy enhancement, regulatory reviews and repositioning to enable them to respond effectively to the changing healthcare landscape.

“What pharmacists need at this time is appropriate support through policy enhancement, regulatory reviews and repositioning to ensure that they contribute effectively to the changing dynamics within the healthcare space” he said.

The PCN chief executive also identified enhanced capacity building as an important requirement for pharmacists as the healthcare environment continues to evolve.

His position underscores the need for the pharmacy profession to remain responsive to emerging developments while ensuring that pharmacists are adequately equipped and appropriately positioned within the healthcare system.

The 2026 World Pharmacists Day theme, according to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), reflects the need to empower pharmacists through supportive policies, education, professional development and stronger integration within healthcare systems.

Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed extended his felicitations to pharmacists across Nigeria and the world, wishing them a happy World Pharmacists Day.

As pharmacists mark the 2026 observance, the message from the PCN leadership places emphasis not only on celebrating the profession’s contributions but also on creating the policy, regulatory and capacity-building environment required for pharmacists to contribute effectively to the future of healthcare.