Impact of Pharmacist-Led Hypertension Management Clinics on Blood Pressure Control Outcomes in Rural Health Centres in Benue State, North Central Nigeria

Background: Hypertension control in rural Nigeria is constrained by physician shortages, low patient awareness, and poor follow-up systems. Pharmacist-led hypertension clinics represent a task-shifting model that could address these gaps, but empirical evidence from rural Nigerian settings remains limited. This study assessed the impact of pharmacist-led hypertension management clinics on blood pressure control in rural health centres in Benue State. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study was conducted at four rural primary healthcare centres in two local government areas of Benue State. The intervention consisted of pharmacist-led clinics providing medication review, adherence counselling, lifestyle modification advice, and home blood pressure monitoring over six months. Blood pressure control rates before and after intervention were compared. Results: At baseline, controlled blood pressure was recorded in 29 percent of enrolled hypertensive patients (n = 210). At six months, the proportion achieving blood pressure control rose to 58 percent in the intervention group versus 31 percent in the control group (p less than 0.001). Medication adherence scores increased significantly in the intervention arm. Pharmacist-recommended treatment modifications were accepted by prescribers in 76 percent of cases. Conclusion: Pharmacist-led hypertension clinics significantly improve blood pressure control outcomes in rural Benue. Scale-up of this model in primary care should be supported by policy and resource allocation. Keywords: pharmacist-led clinic, hypertension, blood pressure control, Benue, task-shifting