Pharmacists under the auspices of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, have threatened to proceed on a total strike and withdrawal of services from healthcare services in the country over the appointment of Pharm.
Ahmed Mora as the new Chairman for the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN. The PCN is a Federal Government parastatal charged with the responsibility for regulating and controlling pharmacy education, practice, and training in all aspects and ramifications in Nigeria.
In an open letter to President Mohammadu Buhari, the pharmacists cited a series of allegations that they said made the appointee unfit for the position even as they enjoined the Federal government to indefinitely suspend the inauguration of the PCN Governing Council with Mora as the Chairman.
Bemoaning the appointment in the letter signed by the PSN President, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, and eight former presidents of the PSN, the pharmacists stated in part: “We are compelled to reach out to Your Excellency in both the public and professional interest on matters relating to the professional conduct of Pharm. A. T. Mora who is not fit to occupy the position of the Chairman of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, especially under a government that is preaching probity and integrity.
“In an unprecedented move, we shall call on all hospital and administrative pharmacists in government hospitals, community, and industrial pharmacists in the private sector to proceed on a total strike and withdrawal of their services. “For the records, this might affect the logistics of production and supply of essential as well as other pharmaceutical care services and drugs to the entire health system including the isolation centres that cater for COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
“The PSN will direct all registered pharmacists to boycott all activities of the PCN forthwith. This will include Mandatory Continued Professional Development (MCPD), registration of pharmacists and pharmaceutical premises as well as other routine statutory activities of the PCN. We shall be left with no choice than to solicit the support of all other health workers for solidarity action to resist this tyranny of the Federal Ministry of Health.
“We strongly enjoin the Federal Government to continue its tradition of consulting with the PSN as part of due diligence to ensure quality control of persons who emerge as Chairman of the PCN. We therefore strongly appeal that PSN is allowed to produce three nominees through the Federal Ministry of Health from which the Federal government will make a credible choice as Chairman.
“In the interim, we strongly enjoin the FG to indefinitely suspend the inauguration of the PCN Governing Council with Pharm. A. T. Mora as Chairman. The PSN assures the federal government of its willingness to continually partner Government at all levels in ensuring credible healthcare delivery in the optimal public interest when the anomalies at PCN are properly redressed.”