PSN laments the departure of 5,208 registered pharmacists from Nigeria.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, have called on the federal government to mitigate the rate at which pharmacists are departing the country as it laments on the mass exodus of 5,208 registered pharmacists from Nigeria in the last five years. It also condemned the stagnation of pharmacists in the civil service, bemoaning that most pharmacists in the public sector are not allowed to reach level 17, which is the peak of their careers.
In his statement at a press conference to herald its 95th Annual National Scientific, scheduled to hold in Jos, Plateau State, from the 31st of October to the 4th of November, themed “Medicine Security in an Unstable Economy”, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, PSN President, said in 2021, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) confirmed that 803 Pharmacists received letters of good standing from the Council. Prof. Usifoh, who declared an emergency in pharmaceutical practice, explains that just like their counterparts in other health fields and many young Nigerians, these pharmacists left the country in search of the proverbial green pastures in countries like Canada, the UK and the United States.
PCN calls for a review of the scheme of service for pharmacists.
He asserts that there is a need for the Federal government to revert the trend with the provision of improved welfare, health care funding, infrastructures and enabling environment, among others. Prof. Usifoh further explains that WHO recommended a ratio of healthcare workers to the population of 23 to 1000 while in Nigeria, it is an abysmal 1.95 to 1000. Regarding the Pharmacists component, there are 0.07 Pharmacists to 1000 or 1 pharmacist to over 14,000 Nigerians. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the acceptable and recommended ratio of Pharmacists to the population is 1 Pharmacist to 2000 of the population.
Prof. Usifoh emphasizes the stagnation of pharmacists in the civil service, saying that the non-advancement to the high point of their careers has dampened the morale of public sector pharmacists. According to him, the current scheme of service for pharmacists, which came into existence in 2005, is long overdue for review. Thus, he solicits the review of the scheme to enable the promotion of pharmacists to level 17, which he expects to incorporate the enhanced entry point and enhanced call duty allowance for Pharm. D holders and the approved Consultancy Cadre for pharmacists.
The organization calls for salary restructuring.
Speaking on the implementation of the Pharmacists’ Consultancy Cadre, Prof. Usifoh lamented how pharmacists had been denied their rights to consultancy in the public sector following the approval of the Consultancy Cadre for Pharmacists in 2019 and the subsequent release of several extant circulars from 2020. He, therefore, requests the implementation of this circular across the board. Additionally, he also requested an upward review of the pharmacists (CONHESS) salary structure to reflect the current realities as adjusted for CONMESS.
Regarding the pharmacists in tertiary health institutions, Prof. Usifoh said that the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) and National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) have consistently denied the rights and some privileges of PCN members working in tertiary health institutions with the claim that only the aforementioned agencies could issue directives for implementation. He further solicits that the Federal Ministry of Health or any other agencies issuing out circulars also to direct the above agencies appropriately.
Stressing the cause and consequence of the mass exodus.
In the same vein, Dr. Lawal Mohammed, Chairman of the PSN, Kogi Chapter, also noted at the observance of World Pharmacists’ Day that pharmacists are suffering over poor remuneration due to the economic hardship caused by the global economic recession. He stressed that the meagre pay, and poor welfare contribute to why pharmacists depart the country. The gap left behind had unfortunately given rise to quackery in the profession, thereby putting the lives of innocent people in danger.
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In all working sector people are living enmasse because of non friendly environment of the job, insecurities,the enumeration of the jobs after so many effort is nothing to write home about, government should do something about it
It is the fault of the government that we are having large influx of exoduses of pharmacists. A lot of them are not given that enabling environment to help promote their business.
This is alarming. Government needs to exigently restructure the employment curricular particularly the remuneration part which is what keeps workers motivated. The country gains nothing seeing our expertise departs at this rate.
Government should do something to this, by give a good environment and help to promote their goods with this the country will benefit for it because they will be able to do their business well. It will not do us any good if our pharmacist are depart from Nigeria
The PSN condemned the stagnation of pharmacists in the civil service, bemoaning that most pharmacists in the public sector are not allowed to reach level 17, which is the peak of their careers. Hopefully, their voice be heard.
The federal government needs to provide better welfare, health care funds, infrastructures, and an enabling environment, among other things, to reverse the trend.
There is a need for the federal government to reverse the trend by providing, among other things, better welfare, health care funds, infrastructures, and a conducive atmosphere.
There are a number of factors that contribute to pharmacists leaving the country, including the meager income and the inadequate welfare.
It is imperative that the federal government find a way to slow the rate at which pharmacists are leaving the country because this trend is not beneficial to the health industry.
Moreover, it criticized the government for preventing pharmacists from advancing in their careers by stating that most pharmacists in the public sector are not allowed to reach level 17, which is the pinnacle of their profession.
Just like their colleagues in other medical areas and many young Nigerians, these pharmacists departed the country for the proverbial greener pastures in places like Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
There is a pressing need for the federal government to reverse the trend by, among other things, bolstering social assistance programs, health care financing, infrastructure development, and supportive environments.
public sector pharmacists’ low morale, which they attribute to their profession’s long-term inertia and the fact that they cannot expect to reach the pinnacle of their careers inside the government.
Because this trend is detrimental to the health sector, the federal government must immediately devise a strategy to limit the rate at which pharmacists are departing the nation. These people shouldn’t have their lives made more difficult by the government.
It’s sad that we have to lose all medical talents in the country before the government comes to their senses
As a result of the economic difficulties brought on by the worldwide economic recession, pharmacists are being forced to endure the consequences of insufficient compensation.
The federal government must strategize to limit, if possible put at end to the rate at which pharmacists are departing the country.
PSN raise concern over pharmacists’ exoduses. Government please am on my knees you people should try and fix this country biko
The happenings in this nation is the one responsible for the compulsory exodus of pharmacists to other better countries. The record given my PSN is Huge.
It is very bad the alll the professional people living the country each day because of the bad economy and unfavorable working condition and nothing is been done by the government to reduce the shameful development.