The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the chief medical directors (CMDs) and managing directors (MDs) of the Federal Ministry of Health to urgently implement modes of the consultant Pharmacist cadre in the health system.
The organisation stressed the need for the CMDs/MDs to apply the renunciation clause in personnel staffing to employ pharmacist consultants in lieu of those who had left the service. This move is intended to address staffing gaps until official vacancies are established through the civil service.
The PSN demands were contained in a letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Daju Kachollom and signed by the President of the association, Cyril Usifoh.
In the letter, PSN seeks for collaborative efforts involving representatives from the PSN, NUAHP/JOHESU, committee of Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of Federal Health Institutions (FHIs).
Usifoh expressed worries over delays in the implementation of the consultancy pharmacist cadre amidst approved circulars in 2020 and 2021, ascribing the deferrals to the commands from Osagie Ehanire, former Health minister.
He however, appreciated renewed efforts by the current leadership of the FMOH with fresh circulars to drive the progress in implementing the consultant cadre.
The letter reads, “We remain very grateful to your office for recent circulars to the CMDs /MDs of the FHIs directing them to commence full implementation of the consultant Pharmacist cadre in view of the enabling circulars which back the same.
“In 2020 and 2021, official circulars were issued from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and the Federal Ministry of Health through a past permanent secretary Abdulaziz Mashi who was perceived as one of the most seasoned bureaucrats of his generation to actualise the consultant cadre in Pharmacy practice in Nigeria.
“Despite this landmark development which has birthed the consultant cadre in states like Niger (it started in 2013), Edo, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, and others, we are still stuttering at the Federal level.
“The setbacks in the totality of the implementation of the consultant Pharmacist cadre after the 2020 and 2021 approved circulars were issued were inspired by the unfortunate style of the immediate past Health minister, Osagie Ehanire who gave directives to the CMDs/MDs not to comply with those establishment circulars tacitly.
“It is imperative to convey our gratitude to the contemporary leadership of the FMOH which generated fresh momentum on this subject matter with new circulars compelling the CMDs/MDs of the FHIs.
“At a recent consultation of the CMDs/MDs of the FHIs, we are well briefed that there is a paradigm shift to do the needful which is a step in the right direction.
“It is also noteworthy to put on record that a few of the Chief Executives of the FHIs have taken bold steps to appoint some eligible Pharmacists as consultants who are appropriately designated in their institutions. We at PSN seriously commend this seeming drift towards progress which will impact on the health system,” it added.
