Posted on: Sun 25-01-2026

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has raised serious concern over the composition of the newly inaugurated National Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety warning that its current structure could expose Nigerians to avoidable medical risks if not urgently corrected

In a formal appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the professional body urged the Federal Government to immediately rebalance the Task Force arguing that its overwhelmingly physician dominated membership undermines the principles of patient safety and accountability it was created to uphold

Signed by the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Pharm Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim the letter acknowledged the establishment of the Task Force as a timely and visionary step under the Renewed Hope Agenda However the Society cautioned that good intentions alone would not translate into safer healthcare outcomes without inclusive multidisciplinary governance

According to the pharmacists clinical governance is a shared responsibility that extends beyond any single profession The Society warned that concentrating decision making power in one group risks encouraging professional protectionism rather than promoting collaborative patient centred care

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria disclosed that the Task Force is currently made up mainly of medical doctors with very limited representation from pharmacists nurses and health administrators This imbalance the Society said weakens credibility acceptance and effective implementation of patient safety recommendations across the healthcare system

The pharmacists warned that patient safety is not served when prescribing and dispensing functions are merged without adequate checks and balances They stressed that international best practice supports team based care models designed to prevent errors before they reach patients

Referencing global health standards the Society noted that effective clinical governance depends on strong participation from pharmacists nurses laboratory scientists health information managers administrators and patient representatives

Pharm Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim highlighted the critical role pharmacists play in medication safety pharmacovigilance antimicrobial stewardship and nutritional support particularly in high risk and critical care environments He warned that sidelining these competencies forces the health system to rely on chance rather than structured safety systems

The Society also drew attention to healthcare access realities in Nigeria noting that community pharmacies remain the first point of care for millions of citizens According to national survey data more Nigerians access healthcare through pharmacies than hospitals a reality that policy makers must acknowledge

The pharmacists argued that ignoring the frontline role of pharmacies in healthcare delivery will lead to policies that fail during implementation regardless of their intentions

As a solution the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria called for expanded representation on the Task Force including nominees from the Society itself the national drug regulatory agency hospital pharmacists community pharmacists and consultant practitioners

The Society further proposed a technocratic leadership structure recommending that senior career health administrators rather than political appointees lead the Task Force to ensure professionalism continuity and accountability

Clinical governance the pharmacists stressed should not be driven by ego hierarchy or professional rivalry but by competence collaboration and patient welfare

The Society clarified that its position is not an attack on any profession but a call for balanced cooperation in the interest of Nigerian patients It maintained that an inclusive Task Force would enjoy wider acceptance stronger technical quality and better patient safety outcomes

As Nigeria continues to face healthcare workforce shortages rising medication errors and declining public confidence the pharmacists warned that failing to correct structural weaknesses now could have long term consequences

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria concluded by urging President Tinubu to act swiftly stating that equitable multidisciplinary representation is essential for building a safer more reliable healthcare system for all Nigerians

---

---