Posted on: Tue 12-05-2020

The PSN wishes to express her total disappointment and disagreement with the treatment meted out to one of her members, Dr Lucky Nwidu in Port Harcourt Rivers State by men of the Ozuoba Police Station. 

The men of the Ozuoba Police Station had stormed the premises of LuckyPharm Pharmacy, where the pharmacist and his support staff were rendering essential services, on Saturday the 9th of May, 2020 and whisked him away including two clients, who came to fill up prescriptions for acute diarrhea and stomach bite. Every effort made by the Pharmacist to dissuade the police from the abuse and harassment fell on deaf ears. Dr. Nwidu was undressed up to his underpants and held in a 12ft x 12ft cell with 39 others and refused access to his face mask, for about 7 hours until he parted with some money. Dr Nwidu is presently self-isolating having been unduly exposed by the action of the men of the Nigerian police.

Rivers state has extended the lockdown period as a measure to contain the Covid-19 pandemic presently ravaging the world. In the words of the Governor of the state, he has asked for strict restriction of vehicular and human movement except those on essential services. Lockdown has become the new normal around the world including Nigeria, with Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states on total lockdown at some point, but essential services; foods on the go, delivery and healthcare have continued unabated. 

At the beginning of this pandemic, the International Federation of Pharmacists (FIP), deemed it necessary to remind every Pharmacist of his oath to go all the way with our patients. The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria also issued an advisory note, primarily encouraging Pharmacists to stand up and be counted as duty calls. 

We cannot overemphasis the fact that the battle for a Covid-19 free world is a huge task and needs the concerted commitment of all health workers to win. Countries of the world are celebrating their health workers as heroes of this time The Federal Government of Nigeria and Nigerians have at different times commended the sacrifices of Nigerian health workers, it then baffles us the action of the men of the Ozuoba Police Station. Are they not part of the world and Nigeria? Are Rivers people immune to health emergencies?

Since the announcements of the Iockdowns and several extensions in the country, community pharmacies have continued to render essential services. Nigerians who are on lockdown have very little cash available to continue to sustain their out of pocket medication demands. This has resulted in very low patronage but these pharmacies continue to run not minding the increased overhead cost, having to provide its own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), sanitizers and other exigencies occasioned by the covid-19 pandemic and distorted supply chain. In the other climes, government has provided their community pharmacies with PPE, hygiene products and bailout funds for their workers' wages for some months to cushion the effect of low patronage and encourage them to remain on the frontline and render increased health services for chronic diseases, which seem to have been forgotten for Covid-19. Patients go to the pharmacy to check their vital signs, blood glucose, malaria rapid test, prescription refill and medication therapy management to mention but a few. These needs will not go away even in the face of a lockdown.

The continuous harassment of pharmacists and other health workers will reduce access to pharmaceutical care and access to quality healthcare and result in negative health outcomes like drug resistance and complications of different magnitudes which will negate the efforts to combat the coronavirus. 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria therefore prays the Inspector General of Police to order the immediate and speedy investigation into this matter and the errant officers and men brought to justice; and to ensure Dr Nwidu and other pharmacists who have been at the receiving end of this humiliation and injustice are compensated for abuse of their professional rights. 

Pharmacists will not be intimidated into abandoning their role backed by an oath to provide pharmaceutical care to the Nigerian patients through thick and thin, not even the harassment by some of these subversive and intrusive men of the Nigerian Police will discourage us.

Signed 

Pharm Ijeoma Okey-Ewurum 

National Publicity Secretary PSN

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