By Juliet Umeh
Community pharmacists have been urged to document their services to Nigerians as part of efforts to improve medical records across the country.

A pharmacist counselling a patient

Making the call during the 2018 Community Pharmacists Continuing Education Conference in Lagos with the theme: Evolving Pharmacy Practice: Tool for Economic Growth and Recovery,   Lagos State Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Pharm Obideyi Olabanji explained that such documentations will help practitioners in future interventions as grassroots service providers.

Olabanji added that the theme of the conference was designed to tackle some of the factors challenging pharmacists in their practice which has in turn relegated them to the background.

He identified issues affecting the practice to include harsh business environment, over- taxation, lack of basic infrastructure and over- regulation among others, stressing the need for holistic and pragmatic solutions towards evolving a new pharmacy practice.

“A typical example is documentation which has been the major issue with community pharmacists. We are doing so much but we are not documenting them.

“I believe that at the end of this meeting, the association will take a holistic look at how we can involve the practice of documentation even if it means designing a tool that will help us to do it,”Olabanji said.

He further tasked pharmaceutical practitioners to remain afloat by building their capacity in order to offer new services such as injectable contraceptives and vaccinations in their premises.

Speaking, a Professor of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Cecilia Igwilo, said the community pharmacists provide services directly to the public, and have the highest hours of contact with the public.

https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/okpanachi-young-philanthropist-business-man-par-excellence/

Igwilo charged community pharmacists to begin to document their services to improve their medical activities.

Igwilo said: “Even though those services which include counselling, monitoring or follow-up to their clients are free, they should document them. Such documentations will help in any intervention in future and also help in government advocacy even in terms of remuneration.”

Igwilo also noted that Pharmacy profession is dynamic and progressive.