Pharmacists Appeal to Health Minister to Renew MoU with ACPN on Immunisation

Pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) are disappointed with the refusal of the Federal Ministry of Health to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the body on immunisation and family planning programmes, saying the decision was not in good faith and not in the best interest of the nation.  

In a letter to the Minister and the Coordinating Minister for Health, Prof. Ali Pate, the ACPN National Chairman, Prince Olawole Oladigbolu, stated that community pharmacists have been in the “forefront of strengthening Nigeria’s faltering and sinking health system, given the legal approbation that pharmacies are designated as health facilities within the framework of National Health Act 2014; and deserved recognition for the proven competence to effectively provide the essential services.”

According to Oladigbolu, ACPN demands that the Federal Ministry of Health signs an MoU so that the country will fully maximise the benefits of the level of training community pharmacists have endured for the tasks.
He posited that ACPN’s call aligns with the Pharma Consultative Forum agenda recently inaugurated by Prof. Pate to fix the unwholesome situation with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).

“The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) is a Technical Group of the PSN which specialises in providing health services through neighbourhood pharmacy facilities. It is also a member of the International Federation of Pharmacists which is the global template of all pharmacists,” he said.
He reiterated the proven capacity of community pharmacists to manage critical health programmes, including emergencies such as COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the immediate past leadership hierarchy of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency  partnered with the ACPN by authorising the community pharmacies to administer COVID-19 vaccines in their facilities in 2021.

“The two-year MoU for this working agreement lapsed in December 2023. Community pharmacies within the duration of two years the MoU 2021 lasted vaccinated over 76,000 patients and clients in just 253 community pharmacies.”

While expressing his displeasure at the refusal of the FMOH to continue with the MoU, Oladigbolu, said, it was expected that the outstanding performance of the community pharmacies while the programmes lasted would have been continued for the benefit of the nation’s health care delivery.
“We would have assumed this landmark development should speak for the capacity and competence of community pharmacies until the incumbent management decided it was not going to renew the MOU because the CEO is a “politician” whatever that really means.

“We have watched and appraised your methodology since taking-over at the FMOH. The overriding perception the two ministers and the Permanent Secretary at the FMOH continue to give is that President Tinubu has mandated them to expand the service potentials of all key health personnel as well as promote collaborations between the respective players,’’ he said.

Oladigbolu claimed that the situation is encouraged by the uncooperative approach of management of NPHCDA and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to the issue.

“It is important to put on record that the management of NPHCDA and NHIA appear not to be on the same page as the Honourabe Minister in his vision to promote collaborations because they have maintained an unfortunate bias and poor management techniques laced in extremely bad faith.

“This memo, which is central to happenings at NPHCDA, gives the major reason why our Health System is still rated amongst the weakest ten in the world, such that Sudan, a war- ravaged clime, is even ahead of Nigeria.

“Honourable Minister, it is apparent that appendages of the FMOH still catalyse medical elitism despite the tenets of the National Health Strategic Development Plan.’’

On timeliness, Oladigbolu further explained that less waiting time is key for patients and those who give care. “The professional centres are obtainable in pharmacy facilities and have appropriate health service designs, while efficiency means that a system grounded in community pharmacies reduces waste because of the uncompromising health design. More fundamental is that it encourages a referral system.’’

Oladigbolu said the health sector as a big and visible business, contributes 22 per cent of the GDP of the USA. According to him, in economic terms, ‘’the global pharma industry directly contributed $532m of gross value to the world GDP in 2017. This equals one per cent of the global GDP or about the GDP of the Netherlands,’’ he explained.