PSN Lagosbranch threatens legal action against NHIA
By Doris Obinna
The PharmaceuticalSociety of Nigeria (PSN) Lagos branch has called on the government to expediteaction on the lingering agreements within its sector while threatening legalaction against the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIA).
PSN said it isnecessary to address the issues and other fresh ones to avoid the seeminglyinevitable labour unrest that will envelop the health sector.
Speaking duringits scientific week in Lagos, PSN Chairman, Babayemi Oyekunle, warned that theNHIA’s unfair and discriminatory practices against pharmacists in theimplementation of the scheme are a violation of the provisions of the NHIA Act.
Babayemiaverred that the then NHIS secretariat in active collaboration with the healthmaintenance organization (HMOs) violated the NHIS Act by adopting an unlawfulconcept dubbed global capitation. He said this mechanism unfairly distributesfunds meant for pharmacists and other healthcare providers.
Whilecriticising the NHIA for failing to implement agreements reached with the Lagosstate government regarding the welfare of public sector health workers,including pharmacists added the agreements, signed over a year ago, addressedissues such as hazard allowance, consultant cadre domestication, retentionallowance, and upward review of call/shift/non-clinical duty allowance.
“We have exhausted all avenues ofdialogue with the NHIA and the Lagos State Government. Despite repeatedpromises, these issues remain unresolved. We are now left with no option but toseek legal redress.”
Calling on the federal governmentto intervene and ensure that the NHIS is implemented fairly and equitably forall healthcare providers, PSN vowed to take legal action against the NHIA andthe state government if their demands are not met.
Babayemi continued: “I confirm toyou that our attorneys will join other stakeholders in the process ofinstituting a legal process against the NHIA and other related governmentapparatus to compel a redress in the unwholesome mess that continues toepitomise managed care and Social Health Insurance programmes in Nigeria at theFederal High Court, Abuja.
“This becomesgermane because the state governments and private insurance schemes continue toleverage on the obnoxious model of the NHIA, an agenda we must nip in the budnow for the sake of posterity as we seek the norm in international bestpractice prevails in Nigeria.
“From inception in2006, the NHIS secretariat in active collaboration with the HMOs violated theNHIS Act by adopting an unlawful concept dubbed global capitation which in realterms implied that the HMOs were allowed to disburse funds meant for fee forservice for pharmacists who dispensed drugs or laboratory services in the areaof diagnosis by laboratory scientists in addition to the capitation fees ofprimary providers to same physicians.”
“This obnoxiousand oppressive act was protested and is still being protested. Also, there havebeen over 15 dialogue sessions by the leadership of the PSN and Association ofCommunity Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) with successive management teams of theNHIS/NHIA, but after rigmaroles as well as manipulations, the ugly status quowas not just retained but actually perfected,” he added.
