Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the federal government to fully implement the consultant pharmacist cadre in the country’s health sector, citing its potential to enhance healthcare delivery and strengthen the workforce
PSN president, Ibrahim Ayuba, made the call during his inauguration as president and the investiture of 145 new fellows of the society in Abuja.
Ayuba expressed concern over the slow adoption of the policy, despite approvals dating back to 2011 and reinforced in 2021.
He accused chief executive officers of Federal Health Institutions (FHIs) of deliberately frustrating the implementation process, noting that more than 15 months after all necessary approvals were granted, less than 15 per cent of FHIs had appointed consultant pharmacists.
“It is the height of disrespect that the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation issued a circular months ago, yet civil servants flagrantly disobey it without consequences. This act of indiscipline must be revisited,” Ayuba stated.
He further criticised state governments for their lack of commitment, revealing that only 10 states had approved the consultant cadre. He described the situation in Lagos State as particularly troubling, noting that the cadre was approved in 2018 under the Ambode administration but later suspended due to political and professional interests.
The consultant pharmacist cadre is designed to enhance specialised pharmaceutical services, improve drug therapy outcomes, and strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system. Ayuba stressed that the non-implementation of this policy was a significant setback to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensuring better patient care.
He called on the Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, to enforce the implementation of the policy across all health institutions, warning that continued delays would negatively impact healthcare delivery.
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