Pharmacists warn Nigeria faces a drug supply crisis due to exclusionary policies and failing primary healthcare systems, urging urgent reforms and inclusion

Nigeria’s drug supply crisis has reached a critical point, with the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) warning that the nation may be heading towards a national health emergency if urgent reforms are not implemented.

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In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the association criticised the persistent failure in drug procurement and primary healthcare delivery, citing flawed policies and the systematic exclusion of key stakeholders.

The pharmacists expressed concern that successive governments have ignored expert advice, relying instead on centralised decision-making that overlooks the technical capacity of professionals in the pharmaceutical and logistics fields.

They pointed to the recent approval of a centralised procurement platform, MEDIPOOL, as a clear example of policy implemented without adequate stakeholder consultation.

According to the ACPN, such top-down approaches have become standard practice, sidelining pharmacists whose experience is vital to maintaining a safe and efficient drug distribution network.

The letter, signed by National Chairman Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh and National Secretary Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore, argues that these decisions are not only ineffective but also dangerous for public health.

The association raised alarm over the continued neglect of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG), a framework introduced in 2015 to streamline Nigeria’s chaotic drug distribution system.

They observed that the failure to adopt the guidelines has created space for fragmented practices, compromising access to essential medicines, particularly in rural communities.

The pharmacists proposed the establishment of a federal Drug Management Agency through legislative backing. This agency would oversee centralised procurement, ensure transparency, and manage pooled resources, including funds from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

According to the ACPN, such an initiative would strengthen the supply chain and allow for a uniform distribution system that includes the private sector under a national standard.

They also criticised the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for operating without an inclusive, multi-disciplinary vision.

The ACPN noted that skewed policies favouring one professional group have contributed significantly to the primary healthcare system’s inability to meet its objectives.

They linked the poor performance of health insurance and PHC programmes directly to inefficient procurement processes and the lack of coordination among stakeholders.

Highlighting their role during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmacists recalled how community pharmacies played a critical part in immunisation delivery.

They lamented that this capacity is now being ignored in favour of new systems that lack both track record and consultation.

In their final appeal, the association urged President Tinubu to restructure the country’s drug procurement policies by integrating pharmacists and supply chain experts into planning bodies.

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Without this shift, they warned, Nigeria would continue to experience medicine shortages, inflated costs, and a deterioration of public confidence in the healthcare system.