The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has kicked against Private Sector participation in public hospital pharmacy practice in some state government owned pharmacy facilities based on its present operational approach which could jeopardise medicines needs in hospitals.

 

This is contained in a statement issued by the PSN and signed by its President, Ahmed Yakassai. After an appraisal of the current system in which some state governments privatised pharmacy facilities in government hospitals, the PSN noted that although it was not opposed to Public Private Partnerships (PPP), “it believes in the philosophy of PPP especially when it is crafted in ways that offer positive therapeutic outcomes to the citizens of Nigeria.”

 

According to Yakassai, the present structure on ground in most States that have commercialised/ privatised pharmacy facilities paves the way for sacrificing the clinical and pharmaceutical care aspects of pharmacy practice which are some of the social functions owed the citizenry by government. “We believe albeit strongly that drugs remain the pivot upon which credible healthcare revolves. According to the PSN, “drugs should not and must not be commercialised beyond a reasonable limit.

 

To properly underscore our belief in genuine reforms and the PPP concept the PSN will itemise some recommendations to the State Governments in a bid to enable them perfect the PPP model in hospital pharmacy.”

 

The PSN stated that pharmacy facilities in State government owned hospitals cannot receive the statutory approval through inspection and registration by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) except through public sector pharmacists as provided for In the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) guidelines on PPP in public pharmacy facility.

 

“This might shortchange the good people of such state as they would not enjoy minimum standards prevailing in other public pharmacy facilities in tandem with best practices which the PSN seeks to entrench.” The President of the PSN noted that this amounted to an act of sacrificing a guaranteed public sector market to private profiteers when government hands over its pharmacy facilities without some fundamental condition precedent.

 

Similarly, Yakassai said, “the goodwill of government can easily be frittered away with regards to clients who visit government hospitals in the assumption that the sources of drugs would be genuine. In the unfolding scenario is it government receipts or those of private profiteers that will be issued to patrons of the affected pharmacy facilities?

 

Whichever side of the divide, government opts for when spurious/ fake drugs find their way into these pharmacy facilities belonging to State government, the government will have to contend with serious legal and moral burdens.”