The Joint Health Workers’ Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, (AHPA) have demanded for the implementation of the approved consultation cadre circular of pharmacists in all Federal Health Institutions and payment of special allowances to deserving health professionals.
The unions in a statement signed by its acting national secretary, Mathew Ajurotu also required for the appointment of at least fifteen pharmacists consultants in each teaching hospital and ten pharmacist consultants in Federal Medical Centre.
The unions allegedly claimed that health ministers in the recent past have attempted to suppress every attempt of non-physician health professionals by refusing to accord them recognition when they bag post-graduate degrees and fellowship.
The statement therefore reads: “In 2021, Osagie Ehanire gave directives to the UCH, Ibadan board to terminate the consultant status of all non-physician health professionals. Pharmacists went through the entire array of due process having secured approvals of the National Council on Establishment as far back as 2011 for their consultant cadre.
In 2020 and 2021, official circulars were issued from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) who is also a physician and the Federal Ministry of Health through its immediate past permanent secretary who was rated as one of the most seasoned bureaucrats of his generation to further boost the consultant cadre in pharmacy practice.
The statement further explained that the Niger State government introduced the consultant cadre in pharmaceutical practice as far back as 2013 and added that states like Edo and Osun have followed suit.
