Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has called for increased cooperation between his administration and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to curb the circulation of counterfeit medicines, strengthen healthcare delivery and establish the state as a leading pharmaceutical centre.

Soludo made the appeal while declaring open the 99th Annual National Conference of the PSN, tagged Ijele 2026, in Awka, Anambra State.

Speaking at the event, themed “One Health, One Pharmacy: Bridging Knowledge, Practice and Policy for National Impact,” the governor described pharmacists as critical stakeholders in efforts to build a reliable, accessible and sustainable healthcare system.

He urged the association to partner with the state government in strengthening regulatory compliance, enforcing professional standards and eliminating illegal pharmaceutical operations, particularly the activities of individuals operating unlicensed pharmacies.

The governor disclosed that his administration was pursuing plans to expand Anambra’s pharmaceutical capacity through the establishment of a pharmaceutical hub in Oba and a Coordinated Wholesale Centre, both aimed at improving the organisation and distribution of pharmaceutical products.

He said the wholesale centre was expected to be completed early next year, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the state’s position in the pharmaceutical industry.

Soludo also highlighted his administration’s interventions in education and healthcare, citing the introduction of free education from kindergarten through secondary school, which he said had reduced Anambra’s out-of-school children rate to 0.25 per cent.

On healthcare, he disclosed that the state had expanded its primary healthcare services, provided free antenatal care to more than 250,000 beneficiaries and carried out over 950 free caesarean section procedures for expectant mothers.

Earlier, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, commended the governor for his support for the pharmaceutical profession and commitment to advancing healthcare development.

Ibrahim described Anambra’s hosting of the conference as the fulfilment of a longstanding commitment and praised Soludo’s leadership and development vision.

He noted that the gathering offered an opportunity for government representatives and pharmaceutical professionals to strengthen collaboration, exchange ideas and develop strategies for improving healthcare services across the country.