Posted on: Mon 11-04-2022

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, on Sunday raised alarm over the state of Drug Revolving Fund, DRF, Scheme in health institutions, alleging that the scheme at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, was now in shambles.

In a letter signed by the President of the PSN, Prof Cyril Usifoh tagged: “Rescuing the DRF Scheme in Federal Health Institutions (FHIs)” and sighted by Vanguard, the PSN urged the Federal Ministry of Health, FMoH, to probe the scheme at the hospital, alleging that the scheme was currently being manipulated.

“We demand that the probe of the mismanagement of the DRF at NOH, Igbobi must proceed immediately as planned without compromise to avoid invocation of other options outside the realm of the FMoH.

“We also strongly call on the FMoH to summon the round-table discussion on DRF which will include the CMDs/MDs, and the HODs of Pharmacy of all the FHIs as earlier promised by the FMoH.”

The statement further reads: “Today the DRF scheme at Igbobi is now in shambles as the MD of the Hospital has manipulated the scheme to effectively handle procurement of drugs personally in the hospital.  

“This led to petitions by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to FMoH at different times until the FMoH directed a probe of the DRF at NOH, Igbobi, in August 2021.

“That probe of the DRF which is yet to be effected has only encouraged the MD of the NOH, Igbobi, to accelerate to the next phase of the agenda to completely annihilate the DRF at NOH, Igbobi, by plotting to impose personal acolytes who can be subsumed to his whims and caprices to emerge as the Director/HOD of the Pharmacy Department in the hospital.  

“Our on-the-spot checks and routine surveillance suggests and confirms authoritatively that the MD, NOHI has taken over the procurement of drugs in the hospital contrary to NDP 2005 and extant Pharmacy and Drug laws.

“The inaction/action on the DRF Scheme by the FMOH has also encouraged further perversion of different procurement models in the FHIs.

“Today, the CMDs and MDs are emboldened to scheme out HODs in pharmacy who do not submit to their absolute control and then go on to use their subordinates as well as other proxies to take over procurement of drugs in the FHIs all for their own pecuniary gains and interest.

“The situation in the pharmacy department in FHIs have become so difficult that pharmacists who work in these facilities can no longer justify the essence of their professionalism which is tragic.”

Usifoh further intimated that PSN was open to further discussion on the sponsorship modalities of the round-table arrangement if the FMOH is constrained by a paucity of funds.

He expressed optimism that the Minister of Health that the FMoH would appraise the concerns of PSN members.

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