As part of activities leading up to its forthcoming 98th Annual National Conference, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), under the leadership of its President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, FPSN, has called on the Federal Government to ensure equity and equal opportunities for all categories of health professionals across Nigeria’s health system.
Tanko made this call on Friday, October 24, 2025, during a strategic courtesy visit to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja in company of Pharm. (Prof.) Cyril Odianose Usifoh, FPSN, immediate past president of the Society.
In his address, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim reaffirmed the PSN’s commitment to partnership and professionalism in driving Nigeria’s health agenda forward.
“We come today not only as professionals, but as partners in the national health project,” he said. “Every health worker deserves fair recognition, dignity, and opportunity to perform at the peak of their competence. Our health system thrives when teamwork — not hierarchy — defines healthcare delivery.”
Tanko commended Professor Pate for his leadership and described him as a “genuine friend of pharmacists” and a “seasoned global health advocate” who understands that no single profession is greater than another. He emphasised that the PSN fully aligns with the government’s reform agenda but urged the Ministry to address certain long-standing barriers that limit performance, morale, and professional growth in the sector.
The PSN President presented the priority issues requiring ministerial attention, including:
- Full implementation of the Consultant Pharmacist Cadre across all Federal Health Institutions.
- Restoration of central placement for intern pharmacists to ensure fairness and professional harmony.
- Addressing brain drain through prompt implementation of the CONHESS adjustment and retention incentives.
- Activation of hospital-based compounding and mini-manufacturing to boost local drug production.
- Accreditation of community pharmacies as primary healthcare providers under the NHIA framework.
- Inclusion of PSN in national health policy dialogues as strategic stakeholders.
- Legal reinforcement of the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) for transparency and sustainability.
- Audit and regulation of public-private partnership (PPP) pharmacy models in federal health institutions.
- Reconstitution of boards of regulatory bodies under the Federal Ministry of Health to restore effective supervision.
In his response, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate commended the PSN’s leadership for its professionalism and constructive engagement.
“Pharmacists are critical members of the healthcare team,” the Minister said. “Our goal is to build a system where all professionals — doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and others — work together as equals to deliver better health outcomes for Nigerians.”
The meeting, which took place at the Federal Ministry of Health Headquarters in Abuja, reinforced a shared commitment to partnership, professional excellence, and patient-centred healthcare delivery.
With the upcoming PSN National Conference now firmly in view, the visit is seen as a timely move to align professional pharmacy leadership with national health-reform efforts. The PSN’s offer to bring “solutions, not demands; expertise, not rivalry” signals a shift towards partnership-driven change in the nation’s healthcare architecture.
Representatives from PSN and the Ministry concluded the meeting reaffirming a shared vision of partnership, innovation and patient-centred care. “Together, we can build a system where every professional contributes at the peak of their competence, and every patient receives the best of care,” Tanko declared.
