ACPN replies NARD, insists physician dominance behind hospital administration decline

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) says physician dominance is responsible for the decline in hospital administration in Nigeria.

In a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the pharmacists’ association alleged ‘physician dominance’ in the country’s health and education sectors.

Reacting in a statement, NARD described the ACPN’s claims as inflammatory and misleading, adding that there has been no incursion into other professions within the healthcare system by doctors.

Responding in a statement signed by Ambrose Ezeh, its national chairman, the ACPN addressed two key issues raised by NARD: the effectiveness of physician-led hospital management and the claim that doctors do not interfere with the roles of other healthcare professionals.

Commending NARD for stimulating “intellectual discourse”, the ACPN said it was necessary to clarify certain aspects of healthcare governance in the country.

The association said while healthcare administration is ideally an “autonomous professional calling”, the principle was compromised following the introduction of Decree 10 in 1985, which mandated that Federal Health Institutions (FHIs) be led exclusively by physicians.

The ACPN said the shift marked the beginning of a decline in hospital administration which had previously been “characterised by efficiency and decorum under professional administrators”.

“The takeover by physicians has led to unprecedented corruption and inefficiency within the health sector,” the statement reads.

Ezeh added that recent findings have identified the health sector as “the most corrupt area within the national economy”.

He alleged that over N30 billion is currently owed to the pharmaceutical industry due to misappropriation of health funds.

“Physicians often demonstrate poor communication, subpar relationship management, and an overall lack of experience in business strategies,” the statement added.

The ACPN pointed to Nigeria’s poor health indicators such as high maternal and infant mortality rates, inefficient logistics, and a systemic neglect of preventive healthcare.

Responding to NARD’s claim that physicians do not interfere in the work of other professionals, the ACPN disagreed, citing ongoing opposition from doctors to the implementation of a Consultant Pharmacist Cadre.

The ACPN called for sweeping reforms to ensure a more inclusive and efficient healthcare system.

“For Nigeria to move beyond ineffective healthcare governance, the government must embrace holistic reforms that genuinely serve the needs of all Nigerians,” the statement reads.