Challenges facing pharmaceutical care provision in Nigerian tertiary hospitals: A short review

Abstract

Pharmaceutical care is the core of pharmacy practice. The reform and development of this practice are essential for the optimization of patient care and improvement of population safety. While pharmaceutical care has been established to have a long history in Nigeria, the implementation of the practice in Nigeria's tertiary health system is very limited and, in some regions, non-existent. Challenges such as knowledge deficits of pharmacists and the inadequacy of practice guidelines, a lack of knowledge, support, and an enabling environment to foster inclusiveness, limited access to patient records, the absence of documentation of interventions and the paucity of policy support and implementation, among others, stall pharmaceutical care provision in Nigeria's tertiary institutions. Here, we recommend that improving the interprofessional environment through collaboration, adequate regulations and policy development, the design of insurance and health support, pharmacy education, training and research optimization will bolster the pharmaceutical care practice in Nigerian tertiary hospitals. Moving the practice of pharmaceutical care in Nigerian tertiary hospitals requires transformational change and strategic collaboration among the pharmacists and health community.