Pharmacists Ask Tinubu To End ‘Physicians Domination’ In Health Sector

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in what it described as the growing domination and intimidation tactics of medical doctors in the health and education sectors, warning that such practices were detrimental to national development and inclusive governance.

In an open letter titled “Call Off These Bluffs In National Interest,” ACPN expressed concern over what it termed “the weaponisation of strikes” by medical professionals, especially under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), to influence policies and appointments in their favour.

The association referenced the ongoing strike by physician lecturers at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), as well as a similar protest at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in 2024, both reportedly aimed at contesting the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) requirement that only Ph.D holders can be appointed Vice Chancellors, a qualification many doctors, who primarily possess professional Fellowships, do not meet.

The letter, signed by ACPN’s National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, and National Secretary, Pharm. (Mrs) Omokhafe Ashore, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, also decried the alleged marginalisation of non-physician healthcare professionals in key leadership positions across Federal Health Institutions (FHIs).

According to the association, since 1985, only physicians have been appointed as Chief Medical Directors or Medical Directors of FHIs based on a misinterpretation of eligibility criteria.

“Despite the diverse and multi-disciplinary nature of the health sector, the leadership remains skewed in favour of one profession, physicians who continue to dominate positions even without the requisite administrative qualifications,” the letter stated.

The ACPN also raised alarm over what it described as systemic abuse and professional suppression of pharmacists and other non-physician staff in hospitals. Citing a recent incident at the Irua Specialist Hospital in Edo State, the association accused the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer of victimising a senior pharmacist for raising objections about the management of the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF).

The letter explained that investigations were carried out by a biased team largely composed of physicians, leading to a predictable outcome of exonerating the CEO.

“This pattern of injustice has become widespread in FHIs,” the association alleged.

On the broader state of the health sector, ACPN criticised the federal government’s handling of public health institutions, stating that almost all 73 Federal Health Institutions experienced severe power outages in early 2025 due to poor planning. It blamed this on leadership inefficiencies and called for the return of trained hospital administrators to manage public hospitals.

The association also expressed disappointment in the Federal Ministry of Health for failing to properly involve pharmacists in key drug procurement processes, including the recent rollout of the MEDIPOOL initiative. It renewed its call for the establishment of a Federal Drug Management Agency to standardise drug procurement and distribution across the country.

The group further criticised the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) for allegedly sidelining pharmacists from immunisation and other primary care initiatives, despite Nigeria’s successful experience with pharmacist-led COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

ACPN appealed for a presidential directive to halt what it called the “outrageous dominance” of physicians in governance and public administration.

“We strongly demand a Presidential intervention to make the government stand up to its stewardship responsibilities as Government.

“The government should change tactics in the skewed appointment of Physicians who dominate sectors which are alien to medical practice while resisting “incursions” into healthcare by any other cadre of practitioners, including colleagues, non-physician health professionals.

“The humiliation health workers in healthcare are subjected to in deference to physicians is beginning to affect the psyche of youths in a generation where nobody wants to be an underdog. National growth, development, transformation and evolution will gradually become stunted if the federal government does not wield the big stick,” the letter stated.