The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has expressed worry overthe Federal Government’s proposed reforms to introduce new regulations forhealthcare facilities in the country as it described the reforms as unnecessaryand would add no meaningful value.
ACPNis a statement signed by the Chairman, Ambrose Eze and Secretary, OmokhafeAshore, respectively, stating that the existing National Health Act of 2014, iffully implemented, could effectively address the problem of unregulated andsubstandard healthcare facilities.
The association said that it shares the enthusiasm ofthe Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa to dealwith the menace of unregulated and substandard health facilities.
ACPN submits that the reforms must be done in tandemwith existing acts of parliament and logically the 1999 Constitution.
“Presently, there are a plethora of health statutesincluding the National Health Act 2014 which are not activated for the benefitof consumers of health. The other leg of the menace of substandard healthfacilities has to do with the extremely wretched funding of the existingregulatory agencies in healthcare.”
Itcriticised the government’s proposal to establish a new National HealthRegulatory facility, stating that it would be wasteful and inefficient.
“TheFederal Government must exercise discretion as it cannot continue to approbateand reprobate. In one swoop the Federal Government says it does not have moneyto cater for existing regulatory councils and in another vein it iscontemplating setting up a new National Health Regulatory facility “which shallregulate across the country.”
Whileemphasising the importance of respecting the constitutional framework forregulating healthcare professions in Nigeria, the association pointed out thatpharmacy matters are exclusively regulated by the federal government, whileother health professions are regulated by both the federal government and thestate governments.
ACPN urging the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to focus on strengtheningexisting regulatory bodies, such as the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria(PCN), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC), and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), called on thegovernment to fully implement the National Health Act of 2014.
“Thereneed for the federal government to consult with healthcare professionals andstakeholders before implementing any new reforms. The association expressedhope that the government would adopt a more collaborative approach to addressingthe challenges facing the healthcare sector.
“The National Health 2014 empowers the FMoH to set upa tertiary health facility commission which should regulate all the FederalHealth Institutions and other facilities operating at the federal level. It isthe negligent act of the FMoH in this regard that makes its chieftains clamourfor structures that will inevitably add no meaningful values.”
