By Chioma Obinna

LAGOS— THE Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has said that the current model, which grants physicians exclusive control over key administrative and procurement roles, has plunged the nation’s health sector into unprecedented corruption, inefficiency and dire patient outcomes.

This accusation came amidst recent claims by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, that physician leadership guarantees better patient outcomes and that doctors do not interfere in the affairs of other health professions.

ACPN’s National Chairman, Ambrose Eze, in a statement, countered NARD’s assertions, arguing that the existing system, rather than ensuring quality care, has fostered widespread systemic failures.

Eze said: “In 90 per cent of Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) schemes collapsed due to physician diversion of funds, leading to over ¦ 30 billion in debt owed to the pharmaceutical industry.

“Perhaps the most damning accusation is that physician leadership has directly contributed to Nigeria’s ‘infamous negative health indices, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, fake health commodities, poor logistics, and a dismal ranking of 187th out of 191 health systems globally.

“Physicians have actively undermined preventive healthcare in favour of curative therapy due to pecuniary gains, rendering environmental health officers ineffective and neglecting crucial preventative measures for diseases like malaria.”

“For Nigeria to escape its many years of fruitlessness in the wilderness of healthcare, the government must embrace holistic reforms grounded in global best practices.”