Posted on: Tue 30-05-2023

National Executive Committee of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) has expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by its members in their ongoing strike called by Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA).

The industrial action, which was in its fifth day yesterday, is to force government to accede to pressing demands of health workers. AHAPN National Chairman, Olabode Ogunjemiyo, in a statement, however, deplored pockets of betrayal in a couple of institutions.  

He said: “AHAPN is embittered about the discriminatory disposition of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and that of Labour and Employment to the welfare of health workers, especially pharmacists.

“The former Health and Labour Ministers, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Dr. Chris Ngige, had both been the clog in the wheel of progress of effective and efficient pharmaceutical care practice in Nigeria through the instrumentality of the MDs/CMDs of federal health institutions.  

“It is inexplicable that a particular salary structure (CONMESS) had been adjusted four times in a row while the other (CONHESS) that directly affects pharmacists hasn’t been adjusted for once since 2010. This singular action is discriminatory and condemnable.

“Worse still, is the non-implementation of Federal Government released circulars on pharmacists’ consultancy cadre, entry point and enhanced call duty allowances for PharmD holders.”

Ogunjemiyo continued: “While many countries are making concerted efforts to advance their health systems and practices, Nigeria is unfortunately witnessing a near collapse of hers. This unfortunate scenario is a culmination of many factors that have now got worse due to massive brain drain of health professionals, especially pharmacists.  

The short-changing of pharmacists working in medical centres of universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education calls for concern.”

To resolve the disharmony, he advised government to order immediate implementation of the pharmacists’ consultancy cadre, enhanced entry point and call duty allowance for pharmacists with the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.  

Ogunjemiyo also demanded immediate action to report of the technical committee on adjustment of CONHESS in addition to implementation of all JOHESU/AHPA demands.

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