The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised the alarm over what it described as the increasing incidence of illegal pharmaceutical practices within various Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), calling on the Federal Government to urgently sanction those involved.
National President of the association, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma made the call on Friday, condemning what he called the persistent disregard for professional and legal standards by some pharmaceutical companies and their pharmaceutical superintendents, who allegedly operate illegally within public hospitals, often with the tacit approval of hospital administrations and regulatory bodies.
Ezeh blamed the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) for allegedly turning a blind eye as unregistered private pharmacy operators took up drug distribution functions in federal hospitals under various public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements.
He cited the ministry’s previous experiments with models like Medipool, describing them as “illegal companies that have created loopholes in the public drug distribution system.”
According to him, the regulatory framework that guides the supply and management of medicines in public hospitals remains anchored in Decree 43 of 1989 (currently Cap 252 LFN of 2004), which established the List of Essential Medicines and the Medicines Revolving Fund (DRF).
He highlighted that for the DRF to function effectively, pharmacists must have full control over procurement, distribution and management, as clearly outlined in the DRF manuals.
Ezeh, however, lamented that over the years, many chief medical directors (CMDs) and medical directors (MDs) have allegedly mismanaged DRF resources, resulting in persistent stockouts and erratic availability of medicines in most federal hospitals.
He recalled the success story of the Pharmacy Department of the National Orthopedic Hospital (NOH), Igbobi, which he described as the most successful DRF model in the country. Under the leadership of the pharmacists, the department built a ₦200 million pharmaceutical complex in 2014 without compromising the DRF account.
“No other group or professional institution has matched such a historic achievement,” he said, lamenting that despite repeated warnings from the ACPN between 2020 and 2022, the Federal Ministry of Health did not intervene when irregularities began to erode the integrity of the model.
The ACPN listed several FHIs where illegal PPP pharmaceutical models allegedly operate, including UCH Ibadan, UDUTH Sokoto, AKTH Kano, National Hospital Abuja, NAUTH Nnewi, JUTH Jos, FMC in Makurdi, Umuahia, Jabi and Nguru, ISTH Irua and UMTH Maiduguri.
The association noted multiple violations of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022, particularly: section 22(1) which states that only registered and inspected pharmacies can store, sell or dispense medicines; Section 27(5) which says: “private pharmacies are prohibited from operating within public health facilities”; Article 29: Every pharmacy must be under the direct control of a pharmaceutical superintendent; and Article 54: Running an unregistered pharmacy constitutes a criminal offense.
Ezeh further accused some FHIs of violating the Public Procurement Law of 2007, which requires transparency and competition in procurement processes. It alleged that more than 20 pharmacies operating under PPP agreements are not registered, and that a “particularly aggressive company” in Lagos allegedly took over the pharmacy unit of a major teaching hospital while invoking the names of senior government officials to legitimize its actions.
The ACPN issued a strong warning to pharmaceutical superintendents whose practicing licenses are being used to support questionable operations, giving them until the end of 2025 to regularize their status or face disciplinary action by the association in 2026.
The association also said it would push for broader sanctions through regulatory authorities under the Consumer Protection and Mistrading Practices Act.
Reaffirming ACPN’s commitment to restoring integrity in drug distribution, Ezeh maintained that addressing drug shortages, ensuring drug safety and strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain requires supporting local manufacturers through credit guarantees and fair procurement processes.
He emphasized the need to protect DRF accounts as legitimate lines of working capital and uphold Good Pharmaceutical Practices (GPP) in the 73 FHIs across the country.
Ezeh warned that funding gaps and irregular systems continue to undermine quality, equity and access to essential medicines in public hospitals, and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to order.
“We must restore sanity, legality and professionalism in the distribution of medicines in the public sector. The health of the Nigerian people depends on it,” he said..