Ebola: Pharmacists Urge Tinubu, Governors to Adopt ‘Pharmacy First’ Protocol

According to a report by Daily Post on Friday, October 23, 2026, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has urged President Bola Tinubu and state governors to engage community pharmacists in the fight against Ebola and other infectious diseases across the country.

The association made the appeal following the recent confirmation of Ebola in Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government to introduce a nationwide “Pharmacy First” protocol to strengthen early detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks.

The request was contained in a press release signed by ACPN National Chairman, Pharmacist Ambrose Ezeh, and made available to Daily Post on Friday evening.

Ezeh called on the Federal Government to recognise community pharmacies as frontline healthcare centres capable of identifying suspected Ebola cases and other infectious diseases at an early stage.

He explained that community pharmacists could play a significant role in protecting public health because of their accessibility and direct contact with members of the public.

According to him, integrating pharmacists into the country’s disease prevention and control efforts would improve the early identification of suspected infections and help health authorities respond promptly to potential outbreaks.

The ACPN chairman also urged the Federal Government to incorporate community pharmacists into Nigeria’s national disease surveillance system as part of measures to improve epidemic preparedness and strengthen the country’s healthcare response.

He stressed the need for both federal and state governments to formally recognise community pharmacies as essential partners in epidemic surveillance and primary healthcare delivery.

Ezeh maintained that greater collaboration between government authorities and community pharmacists would help strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, monitor and contain infectious diseases before they spread widely.

The association’s appeal comes amid concerns over the reported confirmation of Ebola in Nigeria and the need to strengthen existing public health measures.

The proposed “Pharmacy First” protocol is expected to position community pharmacies as important points for the early identification of suspected cases and the referral of affected individuals to appropriate healthcare facilities.

The ACPN called on the authorities to take practical steps towards integrating community pharmacists into national and state-level disease control strategies to improve public health protection and preparedness against future outbreaks.

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