Nigeria's healthcare system has consistently struggled with poor performance, ranking low globally. The country's health system is failing due to politics and weak regulation, according to Olumide Akintayo, a Fellow and past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. Akintayo emphasizes the need to strengthen Nigeria's healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, including a greater role for community pharmacists in primary healthcare.
Akintayo notes that universal health coverage is a practical route to achieving a healthier future, but it cannot be achieved without the appropriate health professionals and responsibilities that correspond with the needs of the population. He cites the United Kingdom as an example, where community pharmacies continued to provide essential services during COVID-19 and subsequently received significant investments to strengthen their role.
Community pharmacies can serve as important primary-care facilities, providing basic screening for non-communicable diseases, operating pharmacy-based clinics, and contributing to maternal and child health education and advocacy. Pharmacists can counsel patients on nutrition, folic acid, pregnancy-related issues, and other basic health matters, particularly in rural communities where they may be the closest and most trusted health facilities available.
However, Akintayo emphasizes that the issue is not simply about giving pharmacists more responsibilities, but also creating an enabling environment, providing necessary training, establishing guidelines, and ensuring proper regulation. He notes that many Nigerian professionals leave the country due to a lack of conducive conditions for professional practice.
Akintayo's biggest barrier to empowering pharmacists during his presidency of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria was politics, specifically the dominance of physicians in leadership positions in government health institutions. He argues that this dominance leads to a single professional perspective shaping the health system, and that very little has changed since his presidency from 2012 to 2015.
Akintayo cites the example of COVID-19 vaccination, where community pharmacies administered vaccines to over 75,000 people in less than six months, demonstrating their potential contribution to immunisation. He questions why people should have to wait for special immunisation days when a properly regulated pharmacy within their community can provide access throughout the year.
To move towards a system where professionals work as a team and are respected for their respective roles, Akintayo calls for strong and bold leadership that can engage with professionals and negotiate fairly on welfare issues while protecting the broader interests of the health system.
Key points
- Politics and weak regulation are major contributors to Nigeria's failing health system.
- Community pharmacies can play a significant role in primary healthcare and immunisation.
- Strong leadership is needed to engage with professionals and protect the health system's interests.
