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…Warns of widening inequality, mass exodus of pharmacists
By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has accused the Federal Government of promoting bias and apathy in the management of the nation’s health sector, warning that the continued favouritism toward medical doctors at the expense of other professionals threatens unity, efficiency, and quality healthcare delivery.
Speaking at a pre-conference press briefing held at the PSN National Secretariat, Anthony Village, Lagos, ahead of the Society’s 98th Annual National Conference (DABO 2025) scheduled for November 3–8 at Bayero University, Kano, PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, urged the government to end the entrenched culture of discrimination and create a level playing field for all health professionals.
“We call on the Federal Government to ensure fairness and equity among all health professionals,” Ibrahim stated. “There has been too much bias in the management of our health system. Pharmacy and other health professions deserve equal recognition and opportunity to contribute meaningfully to national healthcare.”
Describing the current situation as “institutional apathy and lopsidedness,” Ibrahim condemned what he termed the government’s selective policies that continue to marginalize pharmacists and allied professionals, particularly in remuneration and policy formulation.
He specifically faulted the proposed salary relativity between the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), calling it “unjust, divisive, and inimical to sectoral harmony.”
“This proposal, if allowed, will deepen existing inequality. The PSN will resist any attempt to trample on the rights of pharmacists and other health workers. Otherwise, it becomes meaningless to study any other health course apart from Medicine,” he warned.
“Our collective bargaining agreement with the Federal Government is clear — wages must be parity-based, not relativity-based. We will resist any immoral or unlawful policy that seeks to entrench discrimination.”
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The PSN President also lamented the alarming exodus of pharmacists from Nigeria, revealing that over 8,200 pharmacists have failed to renew their licenses in the last five years, largely due to poor welfare and lack of motivation.
“The profession is losing talent rapidly. The government must act decisively to curb this brain drain in the national interest,” he said.
He further criticized the establishment of Universities of Medicine and Medical Sciences, describing the concept as “discriminatory and unconstitutional.”
“The idea of naming institutions as Universities of Medicine sends the wrong message that medicine is superior to other health professions. Every discipline in the health sector is vital to quality healthcare delivery,” he emphasized.
Pharm. Ibrahim urged the government to prioritize inclusion and collaboration in health policy formulation, insisting that pharmacists must be carried along if Nigeria hopes to build a sustainable and efficient healthcare system.
Highlighting key upcoming events, he announced that the PSN is gearing up for its Centenary Celebration (1927–2027) to commemorate a century of the Society’s impact on national development. He added that the forthcoming DABO 2025 Conference, themed “Pharmacy Forward: Building a Future-Ready Workforce for Performance, Collaboration, and Transformation,” will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and global partners to chart a new course for the future of pharmacy in Nigeria
“This conference is not just another event—it is a movement to build a collaborative, performance-driven pharmacy profession ready for the future,”he declared.
Also in attendance at the briefing were Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), and Pharm. (Sir) Anthony Bola Oyawole, Treasurer of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy and former Chairman of the PSN Lagos Branch.
