Pharmacists slam FG over “institutionalised marginalisation” in Health, Education sectors

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has issued a stinging open memorandum to President Bola Tinubu, accusing the Federal Government of perpetuating “institutionalised marginalisation” against non-physician health professionals in both the education and healthcare sectors.

In the strongly-worded statement signed by its National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, the association decried what it described as a pattern of systemic bias in favour of medical doctors, allegedly orchestrated through the “blackmail tactics” of powerful physician-led associations, including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

According to the ACPN, the federal government has continuously yielded to the demands of these groups at the expense of other health professionals, citing as example the recent controversy at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), where physician-lecturers reportedly embarked on a strike over the selection process for a new Vice-Chancellor. The group also referenced a similar scenario at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), where an alleged protest by medical doctors led to the nullification of a vice-chancellor’s appointment by the Federal Ministry of Education under Dr. Tunji Alausa, himself a physician.

“These moves violate existing National Universities Commission (NUC) regulations which require Vice-Chancellors to possess a Ph.D. — a qualification many doctors lack, having instead professional fellowships,” the ACPN stated. “The ineptitude of the FG to succumb to this shameful blackmail leaves a sour taste in the mouth.”

The association condemned what it described as a “culture of blackmail” that allegedly secures physicians’ monopoly over top-level appointments in health institutions and universities. It pointed to an entrenched pattern where roles such as Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) of Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), Provosts of Colleges of Medicine, and even Vice-Chancellors of health-focused institutions are nearly exclusively reserved for doctors.

The pharmacists also raised alarm over salary disparities, stating that physician-lecturers who double as hospital consultants often earn nearly twice as much as their non-physician colleagues while denying them similar recognition or consultant status. “This is McCarthyism at work… a monopolistic stranglehold that subdues every other discipline,” the statement declared.

The ACPN further accused physician-led hospital leadership of widespread mismanagement. It revealed that many of Nigeria’s 73 federal health institutions experienced complete power outages in early 2025 due to unpaid electricity bills — failures the association blamed on hospital administrators.

One cited incident involved the Specialist Hospital in Irrua, where a senior pharmacist was reportedly sanctioned for challenging questionable drug procurement practices. “The CEO punished a Grade Level 17 officer and replaced him with the fourth in line simply for daring to uphold professional standards,” the association alleged.

Criticism was also levelled at the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), which the ACPN described as “visionless,” particularly for sidelining pharmacists in national vaccine distribution efforts — despite their proven role during COVID-19 mass vaccinations.

The pharmacists also slammed the Federal Ministry of Health’s recent endorsement of the MEDIPOOL drug procurement initiative, claiming it excluded key pharmaceutical stakeholders.

They renewed their demand for the creation of a Federal Drug Management Agency to ensure fair and transparent pharmaceutical supply chain oversight.

In its closing appeal, the ACPN urged President Tinubu to issue an executive directive to end what it termed “the outrageously incomprehensible dominance” of physicians in administrative and policy roles unrelated to direct clinical care.

“National growth and development will become stunted if the FG does not wield the big stick,” the ACPN warned. “The time to act is now, in the public interest.”

As of press time, there has been no official response from the Federal Government, the Ministry of Health, or the Ministry of Education.

The ACPN’s fiery memorandum comes amid growing unrest in Nigeria’s health and education sectors, which continue to grapple with policy reversals, inter-professional tensions, and recurring industrial actions.