Posted on: Tue 08-04-2025

The Reformed Forum of Pharmacy Technicians in Nigeria's National President, Pharm. Tech. SHAGBA HUMPHREY T., led a delegation of RFPTN to the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Interactive Forum/Workshop, where they engaged with key stakeholders in pharmacy education and practice.

 

Representatives from 136 Institutions Attended

The event drew representatives from 136 Pharmacy Technician Training institutions, including Provosts and Heads of Departments (HODs). This gathering provided a platform for RFPTN to promote the interests of pharmacy technicians, improve their education and training, and enhance their contributions to the healthcare system.

 

RFPTN National President's Keynote Address

The RFPTN National President delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the need for clear academic advancement pathways, recognition of pharmacy technicians' roles, and improvement of their education and training. The president also appreciated the PCN's efforts to implement direct entry for pharmacy technicians.

 

Retainership of Pharmacy Technicians Profession

The president stressed the importance of focusing on retainership of pharmacy technicians through job opportunities, academic and career advancement pathways (Advanced Specialization Fields). This move aims to address the long-standing stagnation faced by pharmacy technicians in Nigeria.

 

Limiting Pharmacy Practice to Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians

The president also emphasized the importance of limiting pharmacy practice to only pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who are the core professionals in the pharmaceutical landscape. This will ensure that pharmacy practice is reserved for those who have undergone rigorous training and education within academic institutions.

 

Implementation of MoU between NBTE and PCN

The president encouraged both parties to adhere to the objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) without compromise. This will promote the overall interest of the profession and the public.

 

Enhancing Admission and Regularization Processes

The president also encouraged Pharmacy Technician Training colleges to liaise with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for enrollment, facilitating admission through JAMB and providing students with a JAMB Registration Number. This will ease their pursuit of Direct Entry into Nigerian universities in the future. Furthermore, cooperation with past graduates during regularization processes was emphasized, despite the time-consuming nature of these processes.

 

Accurate Advertising and Managing Expectations

The RFPTN National President advised schools to ensure accurate advertising, avoiding inscriptions that imply automatic eligibility for Direct Entry programs. He noted that such claims can create unrealistic expectations among graduates, who may not understand that their academic performance plays a significant role in determining their eligibility.

The RFPTN President also  made known that the interactive forum/workshop has already raised the hope of thousands of Pharmacy Technicians who face some of the enormous challenges inclusive of their bar for direct entry by the Joint Admission and Matriculation  Board.

He applauded the immediate PCN to have brought Direct Entry of Pharmacy Technicians to limelight in the past before the advent of the JAMB's policy which halted this glory.

 

The Worry by RFPTN President

The RFPTN President's frustration stems from the apparent disparity in accreditation treatment between other health  courses and pharmacy technician programs. Despite the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) successfully accrediting various courses in schools and colleges of health technology, pharmacy technician programs seem to be left behind.

This issue is particularly puzzling given the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NBTE and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) in April 2024 . The MoU aimed to standardize and enhance the training of pharmacy technicians in Nigeria. However, it appears that the accreditation process for pharmacy technician programs has not kept pace with other health courses.

The NBTE's accreditation process typically involves evaluating programs based on their curriculum, faculty qualifications, and institutional resources. It's unclear why pharmacy technician programs are not being accredited at the same rate as other health technology courses.

According to the RFPTN President's lament, there is need for greater transparency and accountability in the accreditation process.

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