LAGOS, Nigeria (FN) — The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has accused the Federal Government of institutional bias and professional discrimination, warning that its alleged favoritism toward doctors is destabilizing the nation’s healthcare system and driving thousands of pharmacists out of the country.
Speaking at a pre-conference briefing in Lagos, PSN President Ayuba Tanko condemned what he called “persistent medical supremacy” in policy, remuneration, and recognition. He said the government’s approach has bred disunity, inefficiency, and a dangerous imbalance in healthcare delivery.
“There has been too much bias in the management of our health system,” Tanko said. “Pharmacy and other professions deserve equal recognition and opportunities. The system must reward competence, not connections.”
Tanko revealed that more than eight thousand, two hundred pharmacists have failed to renew their licenses in the past five years, many of whom have migrated abroad in search of better working conditions. He warned that the exodus could cripple Nigeria’s already strained health infrastructure.
“The profession is hemorrhaging talent,” he said. “If this trend continues, we risk collapsing the entire healthcare chain.”
The PSN president also blasted the proposed salary relativity between the Consolidated Health Salary Structure and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, calling it “unjust, divisive, and professionally toxic.” He warned that the PSN and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) would resist any attempt to entrench what he described as “immoral and unlawful” policies.
“Otherwise, it becomes meaningless to study any other health course apart from Medicine,” Tanko declared.
He further criticized the government’s selective attention in healthcare development, especially the trend of establishing universities exclusively dedicated to medicine. “It sends the wrong message that medicine is superior to other health professions, which is not true,” he said. “Every discipline is essential to quality healthcare.”
Tanko called for pharmacists to be fully integrated into policy formulation and implementation, arguing that pharmacy is a critical pillar of national health outcomes. “Any government that marginalizes pharmacists is weakening the foundation of healthcare itself,” he said.
The briefing also marked the launch of PSN’s Centenary Celebration, commemorating one hundred years of pharmaceutical service in Nigeria. The Society’s 98th Annual National Conference, themed “Pharmacy Forward: Building a Future-Ready Workforce for Performance, Collaboration, and Transformation,” will be held in November at Bayero University, Kano.
