… demands sanctions

By Aishat Aliu

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has called on the Federal Government to immediately sanction pharmaceutical companies and professionals allegedly involved in illegal drug distribution activities in Federal Health Institutions, FHIs, across the country.

ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, who made the allegation in a statement, accused some pharmaceutical companies and their superintendent pharmacists of engaging in unlawful operations within public hospitals under Public–Private Partnership, PPP, arrangements, allegedly with the complicity of hospital management and regulatory bodies.

He described the trend as “a persistent culture of disregard for the law,” warning that institutions saddled with enforcing pharmaceutical regulations are now enabling violations.

According to him, the Federal Ministry of Health has failed to curb the activities of unregistered private operators involved in drug procurement and distribution in federal hospitals, despite repeated warnings from the association.

He faulted earlier government-backed pharmaceutical models, including the Medipool scheme, saying they created loopholes that encouraged abuse in the system.

Citing Decree 43 of 1989 (now Cap 252 LFN 2004), which established the Essential Drug List and Drug Revolving Fund, DRF, Pharm. Ezeh insisted that pharmacists must retain full control of drug procurement, supply and management in public hospitals.

He alleged that years of mismanagement of DRF funds by Chief Medical Directors, CMDs, and Medical Directors, MDs, have resulted in drug shortages and unstable supply in federal institutions.

Highlighting what he described as Nigeria’s most successful DRF model, the ACPN Chairman said the Pharmacy Department of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, under pharmacy leadership, built a N200 million pharmacy complex without compromising DRF resources, regretting that the model has since been undermined despite ACPN warnings between 2020 and 2022.

He listed several FHIs where he claimed illegal PPP pharmacy arrangements are operating, including the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan; Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, UDUTH, Sokoto; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH; National Hospital, Abuja; Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi; Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH; and Federal Medical Centres in Makurdi, Umuahia, Jabi and Nguru, among others.

Quoting the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 2022, he said the operations violated provisions that restrict private pharmacies from operating in public hospitals, require registration and inspection of pharmacy premises, and mandate direct control by a superintendent pharmacist.

He further alleged breaches of the Public Procurement Act 2007, claiming that over 20 pharmacy premises operating under the PPP arrangements are not duly registered, with one company in Lagos allegedly “taking over” a teaching hospital pharmacy while name-dropping senior government officials.

Pharm. Ezeh warned that superintendent pharmacists lending their licences to such arrangements risk disciplinary action, giving them until the end of 2025 to regularise their positions or face sanctions in 2026. He disclosed that the association will also pursue penalties under the Consumer Protection and Trade Malpractices Act.

Reaffirming ACPN’s stance, he said tackling drug scarcity and strengthening the supply chain requires support for local drug production through credit guarantees, transparency in procurement, and strict protection of DRF systems in all 73 federal health institutions.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and “call the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to order,” insisting that the alleged unlawful arrangements are harming public healthcare delivery.

“We must restore sanity, legality and professionalism in drug distribution in the public sector,” he said. “The health of the Nigerian people depends on it.”