Somehow, it looks ridiculous having two counters selling drugs in the same hospital. One counter designated for the sale of Petroleum (special) Trust Fund(PTF) drugs and the other for the hospital’s pharmacy department. While one PTF is cheap, at the other counter, it is slightly expensive.
Patients mainly civil servants who avail themselves of medical treatment in the hospital have complained of the drugs not being able to retain its tablet form if not delicately handled.
The healthcare gathered that some of the drugs scattered inside the nylon if not well kept before the patient gets home. With peoples reaction to the same goods that are cheap and expensive respectively, there is already an apathy concerning PTF drugs.
To an average patient, once prices differ, it means there is trouble and confusion somewhere, that psychological make-up alone will prolong an illness and the patient may not get relief after taking those drugs.
Can PTF sustain this effort?
This is a million naira question bothering pharmacists and well meaning Nigerians. Why should PTF go into drug distribution and not production which should give permanent solution to the drug problem in the country and reduced the prices of finished products generally? However, there is no doubt that this PTF effort has provided incomes and open avenues for some pharmaceutical companies and importers to survive.
In an interview, the then managing director and chief executive of alliance chemist limited, Chief Bayo Ogunyemi said that the government was putting the cart before the horse, instead of encouraging drug distribution in the hospitals, government has taken over through PTF. He noted that it is the work of pharmacists to supply drugs to the hospitals and not government, and he lamented that the gesture has taken business from wholesale pharmacists and they are out of job as government has taken over through the PTF.
Ogunyemi said that the outcome of these prevailing situation was that PTF might not run the scheme properly while it had become unprofessional, noting as always with the government project, the end result might be mismanagement of finance and embezzlement.
Lamenting, the pharmacists wondered why PTF should go into drug distribution. According to him, PTF could help in drug production as there is no enough capital to set up factories and import raw materials for pharmaceutical companies to ensure low prices for finished products.
The managing director observed that there was vast difference between the practice of pharmacy and drug distribution in the early days and now, adding that in the 40s and 50s, drug distribution was done according to law, all pharmaceutical companies were manned by qualified pharmacists. No drugs according to him was issued out without the signature of qualified and registered pharmacists.
He stated that it was obvious then that doctors prescribe and pharmacists dispense, the situation was as it was done outside the country.
The West African Drug Company, the first big expatriate drug company in the country, well into drug distribution system, upheld the method to the letter and there was no branch that was not manned and supervised by a pharmacist.
He noted that drug distribution now is a free-fall-all affair regretting that traders who can hardly write their names sell drugs now, adding that it would appear there is official conspiracy to continue with the system.
Ogunyemi confirmed that the country has one of the best pharmacy laws and that the officials should be able to control drug distribution if the will power is there.
The government allows drug distribution to be what it is by not regulating the law and without inspection, everybody can do what they like.
With the introduction of import license for pharmaceutical products since 1986, faking and adulteration of drugs entered the industry as non drug experts were issued licenses to import drugs into the country. As a result, traders(non-pharmacists) or businessmen travel overseas and negotiate with drug manufacturers who are feeding fast on the negligence of Nigerians.
Ogunyemi confirmed that the pharmaceutical society of Nigerian(PSN) has been doing quite a bit to call pharmacists to order, adding that sermon could only help to moderate the actions of people but cannot take the process of the law. He said that only effective inspection and punishment would stop the situation and warned that drug is not like buying clothes. It is only when it gets to the body system that it starts causing havoc.
He therefore enjoined the National Agency for Food and Drug Adminitration(NAFDAC) to make their inspection unit effective to assist in the eradication of the evil preverence of drugs in every nook and cranny of the country.
The managing director condemned the transfer of the issuance of patentt and proprietary medicine vendors licence from federal to state ministries of health, as it would encourage drug distribution by lay men. He said in the constitution of the country, drug is a federal matter and that PSN should be made to issue any licence pertaining to drugs in the country.
Patent and proprietary medicine vendors licence scheme was evolved to enable rural people and other areas where there are no pharmacist to get simple medication but with so many unemployed pharmacists scattered all over the federation, the licences should be scrapped or issued to qualified pharmacists.