Group Rejects Contentious Bill for Pharmaceutical Technicians Council  

Pharmacists under the auspices of Young Pharmacists Group (YPG) have criticised the National Assembly’s passage of a Bill for the Establishment of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians Council against a subsisting agreement to abolish the training of pharmaceutical technologists in the country.

The group, an affiliate of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), said the development is not only an invitation for chaos in the health sector, but also capable of destabilising the nation’s already fragile healthcare system.

Chairman of YPG, Tekena George, in a document argued that the passage of a bill to establish a separate Pharmaceutical Technologist and Pharmacy Technician Regulatory Council is counterproductive as it “contradicts the unified and comprehensive regulatory framework embodied in the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria(PSN) Act and poses significant risks to the quality and safety of pharmaceutical services in Nigeria.”

He described the development as a “shocking failure of legislative action” by a few of the Honourable members present at a session chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu to pass the bill.

The controversial bill, according to George has been on the legislative agenda since 1999, and went through Public Hearing at the 8th Assembly on December 11, 2018, where key stakeholders, including representatives from the  Office of Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; The Federal Ministry of Health; Nigerian Law Reform Commission; Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and several Civil Society Organisations, were in attendance.

George explained that, “through the instrumentality of an engagement of the Federal Ministry of Health  and Social Welfare (FMoH&SW), Federal Ministry of Education(FMOE) as parent ministries, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria(PCN) and National Board for Technical Education(NBTE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) in April 17, 2024 to abolish the training of Pharmaceutical Technologists in Nigeria. According to him, the “MoU stated clearly that all those trained in that qualification have no place within the healthcare industry. This is rightly so because such qualification is an aberration.’’

He expressed concern that against the strong position of experts and all stakeholders, the legislatures would pass the bill.

“All the stakeholders presented strong position papers all to the effect that the proposed bill would create chaos in the health sector. It was the common position that the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) through Section 4 of the PCN Act 3 (Functions of the PCN) already performs the function that the bill sought to achieve. We expect the House of Representatives to have a record of the event!

“What is more worrisome is that, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), an organ of the National Assembly that conducts research to promote sound legislative processes conducted a comprehensive research on the proposed bill and eventually advised the Legislators against further consideration of it.

“The fact is that Pharmaceutical Technology is a postgraduate qualification for Pharmacist who specialises in industrial Pharmacy practice (Drug Industrial Production).”

He said that the essence of the bill contradicts what obtains in other climes where the overview of regulation of pharmacy technicians is by the regulatory body for pharmacy including, South Africa (South African Pharmacy Council) Tanzania(Tanzania Pharmacy Council), Ghana ( Ghana Pharmacy Council) United Kingdom( General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain), United State of  America(National Association of Board of America Pharmacy).