The National Chairman of Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Pharm. Ken Onuegbu has urged his counterparts in the pharmaceutical industry to embrace the advancements of technologies and harness their potential to enhance healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Onuegbu said in his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 27th Annual Conference of NAIP tagged “Oluyole 2024” held on Wednesday, June 6, 2024, at De Signature Towers Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Role of Digital Technologies and Innovations in Achieving Universal Health Coverage: The Nigeria Industrial Pharmacy Perspective”, Onuegbu said “in an era where digital economy is reshaping industries across the globe, the pharmaceutical sector cannot afford to lag behind.”

“Digital technology has become an integral part of our lives. Digital technology has become an integral part of our lives. From mobile applications and artificial intelligence to telemedicine, the possibilities seem endless,” he said.

In an interview with CEOAFRICA, the NAIP National Chairman admitted that Nigeria is lagging in areas of innovation and technology in driving pharmacy practice, hence, the theme of the conference is a wakeup call for the system and industry stakeholders.

According to him, “the world is now a global village and the only way to access it is by being technologically driven to reawaken the consciousness of people. It is like a sensitization conference to prepare us for where we are going.”

Explaining that things are changing into digital, and the industry cannot be left behind, the pharmaceutical expert emphasized that pharmacists are quite instrumental as far as healthcare delivery is concerned, adding that “pharmacists are as important as medical doctors. All of us are working towards one goal which is the patients out there.”

“Pharmacists will make sure that we can produce genuine, quality drugs and ensure patients have access to quality drugs. We are the conscience of the whole nation. The industry is not one you can ignore.”

When asked the role of government in achieving the adoption of new technologies by the industry, Pharm Onuegbu said the job is half-done by the private sector and the government only needs to provide enabling environment. What we are expecting the government to do is to provide conducive environment where security is guaranteed, good road network, steady power supply and stable forex.

He also stressed that the pharma industry will do better with government support, particularly on the recent campaign to discourage importation of drugs and encourage local production.