The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on President Bola Tinubu's administration to appoint administrators to head various agencies, departments, and institutions within the health sector to address ongoing crises.
In a statement signed by ACPN National Chairman Ambrose Ezeh and made available to BenriNews on Saturday, the association highlighted several challenges plaguing the health sector, including salary disparities, unhealthy professional rivalries, and the domination of the sector by a particular cadre of professionals.
Historical Context of Healthcare Administration
Ezeh noted that administrators were responsible for heading health institutions in Nigeria until 1985, a period he described as witnessing unprecedented success in the healthcare system.
"Under the watch of hospital administrators in the 70s and up to the mid-80s, the hospital system was laden with decorum and efficiency especially because health professionals stuck to their areas of due competences. The Health System was so good that foreigners accessed care provisioning in our land," Ezeh stated.
He specifically highlighted that the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan was rated among the top five health facilities in the Commonwealth during this period.
The Turning Point in Nigerian Healthcare
According to the ACPN chairman, the situation changed in 1985 when "late Olukoye Ransome Kuti in alliance with former military President General Ibrahim Babangida who was his erstwhile boss disrupted this ethical order with the infamous and outrageous decree 10 of 1985." This decree, he claimed, has been manipulated to ensure physicians head Federal Health Institutions in Nigeria.
Ezeh criticized the current salary and wage politics in the health sector, alleging that physicians negotiate what they want and dictate what non-physician health professionals and workers receive.
Call for Reforms
The ACPN chairman emphasized that for Nigeria to overcome years of challenges in healthcare delivery, "the government must embrace holistic reforms grounded in global best practices."
He argued that healthcare administration is ideally an autonomous professional calling, which is why trained professional administrators are appointed to head hospitals in other countries.
The association's call comes amid ongoing concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of Nigeria's healthcare system, which continues to face numerous challenges despite various reform attempts by successive administrations.
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