Resident doctors accuse pharmacists of blackmail

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to stop emotional blackmail of Nigerian qualified doctors in an attempt to portray them as Anti-Other health professionals.

Responding to the letter written by the ACPN to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the alleged growing domination of medical doctors in the health and education sectors, NARD President, Dr Tope Osundara, stated that there has been no incursion into other profession within the health care system by the body of doctors at local or national level.

Osundara noted that what they have rather seen is revolt, repulsive utterances, and statements of attack on doctors’ positive contributions to the healthcare needs of Nigerians.

He stated that if pharmacists want a leading role in the hospital, they essentially place themselves above the Health Information Officer, who has an equal degree (BHIM) as they do.

Osundara argued that doctors do not work as heads in pharmaceutical companies, where it is expected that pharmacists will be solely involved in leading reputable research that produces innovative drugs to complement the work of doctors in hospitals.

The NARD president noted that rather, “the concern of ACPN is on who heads what and who holds what.”

He said, “We are in receipt of a news item making the round that indicted Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) of being frivolously audacious within the Nigerian Healthcare System contained in a letter written by Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“Let it be very clear to ACPN that NARD holds no grudges and has not been appointed overseer in any matter, but NARD will candidly make its perspective in health care matters known because we are essential stakeholders just like the community of pharmacists. We all have the opportunity to make input in productive health matters, not those that do not help patient health outcomes or tend to destabilise the system”.

“To also use the word ‘culture of fascism’ as seen in the publication is to indict the government for the cruel use of power within the health care system. A statement we think should be withdrawn. The use of the statement ‘incomprehensible dominance of an overpampered group of civil servants’ is abhorrent and loathsome to whichever group of civil servants they referred to. Most definitely not Nigerian doctors, else that will mean ACPN will be needing medication for whatever that is causing them a chasm of pain, which we will readily provide.” 

Osundara said that NARD has stated clearly that death related to having non-medically qualified persons (impostors) with the prefix “doctor” attending to patient care is alarmingly high.
According to him, statistics have also shown and established that physician-leaders outperform non-physician leaders in hospitals.

Osundara argued that before raising concerns about issues in the healthcare system, there is a need first to consider how it can improve patient outcomes, stressing that if it doesn’t add to better health outcomes for the public, it is better to jettison the idea.

He alleged that the rate of exposure to lethal medication in Nigeria is worrisome, with little advocacy from ACPN, adding that it is expected that ACPN will be more intentional in addressing how people access prescription-only drugs.

The NARD president noted that the mental health state of recent times, especially among the youth in Nigeria, is frightening and urged the ACPN to get to work rather than propagating blackmail.

He stated that NARD has been involved in several medical outreaches through The Doctor’s Reach Out Program (TDROP) as a means of complementing and strategically achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which helps extend healthcare to underserved communities.

According to him, NARD has also been involved in training and retraining doctors and other healthcare workers (including pharmacists) on Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support to help mitigate mortality arising from medical emergencies.

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He appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health to maintain its holistic approach, as it has always been, and to be altruistic in addressing matters concerning the welfare of health workers in Nigeria.

Osundara observed that the concerns of health workers are part of President Tinubu’s priority and expressed hope that the seven-month CONMESS arrears, together with the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage on the salary structure, will be addressed before the end of June 2025.

He noted that there can be no better health outcome when the welfare of health workers is not given adequate attention.