Dr Rachel Obonose Titus’s research was inspired by the operational challenges faced by Nigerian community pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic. With pharmacies often the most accessible healthcare points during lockdowns, she recognised the urgent need for structured, context-specific guidance to ensure safe and uninterrupted services. Her PhD focused on developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen community pharmacy resilience during public health emergencies.
What makes her work distinctive is its grounding in lived experience. The SOPs were developed directly from the strategies community pharmacists used to manage supply chain disruptions, safety concerns and service continuity during the pandemic. These real-world insights ensured the guidance was practical and implementable. Piloting with pharmacists further refined the tools and demonstrated their potential for broader adoption.
Through the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship, Dr Titus collaborated with researchers at Oxford, strengthening the evaluation framework and expanding the theoretical foundations of her work. The fellowship also facilitated engagement with UK pharmacy professionals and opened new avenues for collaboration.
Dr Titus is now engaging with policymakers in Nigeria to explore national adoption of the SOPs. If implemented, this framework could institutionalise emergency preparedness in community pharmacies, contributing to more resilient health systems across Africa.