The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, yesterday raised the alarm over the exodus of 5,208 registered pharmacists from Nigeria.
It also condemned the stagnation of pharmacists in the civil service, regretting that most pharmacists in the public sector were not allowed to attain level 17, which is the peak of their career.
PSN President, Prof Cyril Usifoh, who disclosed this at a briefing to herald the body’s 95th Annual National Scientific, billed to hold in Jos, Plateau State, from October 31, said in 2021 alone, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, also confirmed that 803 pharmacists collected letters of good standing from the Council in 2021.
Usifoh, who declared an emergency in pharmaceutical practice, said the pharmacists left Nigeria in search of the proverbial green pastures in such countries as Canada, the UK and the United States.
He said there was need for the federal government to reverse the trend through improved welfare, healthcare funding, infrastructure and enabling environment, among others.
“The WHO recommended ratio of healthcare workers to the population is 23 to 1000, while in Nigeria; it is an abysmal 1.95 to 1000. Regarding the pharmacists component, there are 0.07 pharmacists to 1000 or 1 pharmacist to over 14,000 Nigerians. “