Pharmacists Plan Legal Action To Enforce National Social Health Insurance Act 2022

Concerned about the widespread inappropriate dispensing of drugs under the country’s Social Health Insurance Scheme, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) is contemplating legal action to enforce the implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, as amended, and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act of 2022.

This decision was a key outcome of the 43rd Annual National Conference of the ACPN, recently held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The NHIA Act of 2022 aims to ensure that every Nigerian has access to affordable and quality healthcare services by regulating, promoting, managing, and integrating all health insurance schemes and practices in Nigeria.

The ACPN expressed concern over the violation of the NHIA Act and the PCN Act, particularly regarding the proper dispensing of drugs within the social health insurance framework.

The pharmacists claimed that over one trillion Naira worth of drugs have been dispensed since 2006 by individuals not complying with the necessary legal provisions. Consequently, the association advised its National Executive Committee to pursue legal action to enforce the laws established by the NHIA.

“The conference reviewed recent developments at the NHIA and urged the chairman and NEC to immediately consider legal action to enforce the NHIA Act, as amended, and the PCN Act of 2022, specifically concerning the appropriate dispensing of drugs under social health insurance schemes in Nigeria. This is especially critical given that over one trillion Naira worth of drugs have been dispensed since 2006 by individuals not aligned with the law,” the communiqué stated.

The ACPN also commended the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) for revitalising the National Prescription Policy (NPP), initially brought to prominence in 2013 by the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).

The ACPN “appreciated the progress of the NPP committee but emphasized the need to appoint a Pharmaceutical Consultant, who must be a Registered Pharmacist under the PCN Act, and a Medical Consultant, who must be a Registered Medical Doctor under the MDCN Act.”

The association stressed the need for policy shifts in the pharmaceutical sector to foster innovation and collaboration in Community Pharmacy (CP) practice for more effective service delivery.

The ACPN also called for greater commitment from the Federal Government to address the numerous challenges hindering the full potential of the pharmaceutical sector, including inadequate sector coordination and the persistent problem of counterfeit and fake drugs.

“The conference declared that the government must show more commitment to unlocking the pharmaceutical sector’s value chain by addressing various challenges, such as fragmented coordination, the high incidence of unqualified personnel in the profession, the prevalence of counterfeit medicines due to poor implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), the lack of technological adoption, and insufficient access to capital and infrastructure.”

The ACPN also advocated for stronger regulatory controls to ensure Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) and called for legislative action in key areas, such as establishing Federal and State Task Forces to combat fake and counterfeit drugs. They pointed out the “inherent weaknesses in Pharmacy and Drug statutes that allow criminal elements to operate with impunity in the pharmaceutical sector.”

The ACPN urged the government to adequately fund the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) to meet public health expectations. The association also encouraged these agencies to reconsider some of the burdensome tariffs on pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers, especially given the current surge in drug prices.

The ACPN reminded all levels of government that the availability of quality drugs is crucial for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and recommended better coordination of supply chain efforts through innovations and technology-driven collaborations with regulatory agencies.