Posted on: Sat 01-11-2025

In a bombshell revelation that could shake Nigeria’s healthcare system to its core, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has accused several federal hospitals of enabling illegal drug distribution networks right under the noses of regulators and management.

According to ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Igwekamma, unregistered pharmacy operations are thriving inside Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), often backed by questionable Public–Private Partnership (PPP) deals. These setups allegedly violate the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022, which prohibits private pharmacies from operating within public facilities unless properly registered and supervised.

Igwekamma didn’t hold back, calling on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to investigate and sanction those involved. He warned that the current system is eroding public trust and compromising patient care.

“We must restore legality and professionalism to Nigeria’s drug distribution system. The health of our people depends on it,” he declared.

The ACPN also slammed the Federal Ministry of Health for allowing private pharmacy operators to dominate drug distribution through flawed PPP models like Medipool, which they say undermine the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) mechanism established under Decree 43 of 1989.

Igwekamma cited the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, as a shining example of pharmacist-led success, where a 200 million naira facility was built in 2014 without disrupting DRF operations. But he lamented that similar initiatives are now being sabotaged in hospitals like UCH Ibadan, UDUTH Sokoto, AKTH Kano, National Hospital Abuja, NAUTH Nnewi, JUTH Jos, and several Federal Medical Centres.

The ACPN is demanding that superintendent pharmacists whose licenses are being misused regularize their status by the end of 2025 or face disciplinary action. Further sanctions may follow under the Consumer Protection and Trade Malpractices Act.

This exposé is a wake-up call for Nigeria’s healthcare regulators. The ACPN is not backing down—and the nation is watching.

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