In a bid to enhance the welfare of healthcare professionals, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has called for the introduction of new allowances for hospital pharmacists, citing the critical role they play in the nation’s healthcare system.
The appeal was made by PSN President, Ayba Ibrahim Tanko, at a press conference held in Lagos to announce the society’s 98th annual conference, Dabo 2025.
According to Tanko the new allowances would cover scarce skill, extra work and productivity, adding that pharmacists are integral to patient care.
While stating that over 70 percent of patients in hospitals end up at the pharmacy, he said “Yet, the profession is losing talent rapidly, PSN data shows that over 8, 200 pharmacists have failed to renew their licenses in the past five years, many of them having migrated abroad. The government must address this exodus in the national interest”.
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On the other hand, PSN president challenged the outcomes of the September CBA Technical Committee meetings, which involved trade unions and healthcare associations including JOHESU and AHPA, representing over 80 percent of Nigeria’s health workforce.
He faulted the push to entrench a relativity clause between the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), warning that such a move would deepen divisions in an already fractured health sector.
“The PSN does not subscribe to this. We will insist that the rights and privileges of our members are not trampled, he said.”
He traced the origin of this disparity to 1991, when the late Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, the then Health Minister, allegedly used his influence to impose a medical salary scale that disadvantaged other health professionals.
“Prior to this, both pharmacists and physicians began their careers on grade level 8, progressing to grade level 9 after the National Youth Service. The introduction of relativity saw physicians leap to grade level 10, leaving others behind.
“The proposal seeks to institutionalise an even greater imbalance. Under the new scheme, a physician fresh from youth service could start at grade level 13 and earn 1.2 times more than peers on the same grade, despite having no experience. At the terminal level, this gap could widen to 1.5 times, as allowances are tied to basic salaries.
“This is contrary to every known public or private sector remuneration standard. Workers on the same grade level must earn the same emoluments. Otherwise, it becomes meaningless to study any other health course apart from Medicine, PSN president added.”
He reaffirmed that the existing CBA with the Federal Government mandates parity-based wages, not relativity-based ones.
“The PSN and JOHESU will resist any attempt to entrench such an immoral and unlawful policy,” he vowed, urging the government to engage labour and legal experts to develop equitable salary scales.
He further demanded full implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant Cadre, which has already been approved by the National Council on Establishments (NCE).
To him under Trade Union law, only PSN and JOHESU can negotiate the welfare of pharmacists, including this cadre.
Despite the approval, over 35 Federal Health Institutions have yet to comply. Tanko commended those that have, but called out Lagos State for what he described as sluggish response, allegedly due to pressure from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Tanko issued a direct appeal to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging him to honour past commitments.
“As a member of the Lagos Executive Council, Sanwo-Olu supported the Pharmacist Consultant Cadre, which received national approval in 2011.
During his 2019 campaign at the PSN Lagos Secretariat, he promised to reinstate the suspended circular on the cadre, a promise yet to be fulfilled’’.
He criticised the Ambode administration’s handling of the circular since 2018 and lamented the current administration’s silence despite repeated entreaties. Tanko said, PSN will not petition Governor Sanwo-Olu. “But we hasten to remind him that the countdown to the end of his tenure in May 2027 has begun.”
Looking ahead, Tanko announced that the PSN would build a new pharmacy workforce structure, placing Consultant Pharmacists at the apex of hospital, administrative, and academic practice. “Our conference will be geared towards evolving in this direction,” he said.
On the 98th annual national conference, DABO 2025, he said would take place in the ancient city of Kano under the theme “Pharmacy Forward: Building a future-ready workforce for performance, collaboration and transformation.”
The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Prof. Peace Chinedum Babalola would be the keynote speaker.
