In a letter addressed to the director of the National Health Insurance Authority, Prof. M.N. Sambo, and co-signed by NHIA Chairman Oladigbolu Adewale and Secretary Ezeh Ambrose, the association said it was necessary to update the NHIA about some paradigm shifts in pharmacy practice—particularly as they relate to the operations of this insurance board, which regulates and controls health coverages at all levels in Nigeria.

The letter recommended that the guidelines be used as a model for pharmacists across the country.

The guidelines can be found as follow: By Government notice No. 108 after President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR signed a new Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 2022 (PCN Act 2022), the Federal Government officially announced through Gazette No. 157 of August 30, 2022, the coming into the life of a new Act of Parliament (PCN Act 2022) which has been structured to revolutionise pharmacy practice in Nigeria.

“We as representatives of Community Pharmacists in Nigeria find it necessary to draw your attention to this new act, in a bid to ensure Good Pharmacy Practice is enforced.

“In line with global best practices, the following new but salient provisions of law which will help the NHIA in coming up with lawful operational guidelines furtherance to rule of law in Nigeria have been passed.”

The ACPN noted that it wants to establish new ground rules for its relationship with NHIA.

“Moving forward, we submit with a huge sense of responsibility that these terms and conditions will henceforth be grounded in compliance with all Acts of Parliament that are relevant in existing Pharmacy, Drug and Health statutes.

“We believe this is the minimum needed to reactivate our failing health system. In the spirit of our fellowship, we believe the director general and the patriotic staff at NHIA will make this happen in the public interest for consumers of healthcare in Nigeria.”

Some of the new laws included making sure that a pharmacy always had an attendant on duty to attend directly to patrons.

“Any place used for dispensing, selling, compounding, distribution, storage, stocking, retailing, wholesale, manufacturing, importation,the exportation of drugs and poisons, scientific offices or any other pharmaceutical activity shall be inspected and registered,by the provisions of this Act,

“A person shall not own or operate a retail or community pharmacy practice unless the person is registered as a pharmacist under this Act.

“The Council may approve Satellite Pharmacy owned by licensed pharmacists who have a minimum of 10 years post-registration experience provided such Satellite Pharmacy is affiliated to a registered pharmaceutical premise for regulation and control.

“Every pharmaceutical premise is under the supervision of a Superintendent Pharmacist.

“Where a premise is operated without a Superintendent Pharmacist for a continuous period of 30 days, the registration of the premises licence shall lapse at the expiration of those 30 days.

“Every Pharmacy, whether in a public or private hospital, shall be under the supervision and control of a Superintendent Pharmacist.

“Pharmacies in public or private hospitals and clinics shall be subject to inspection, registration and annual licensure by the Council.

“Flowing from these express provisions of law reflected in the foregoing, the NHIA is respectfully expected to note as follows:

“Any location in Nigeria, no matter how insignificant it looks, where drugs are stocked and ultimately sold or dispensed must be registered by a Superintendent Pharmacist for inspection, registration and licensure by the PCN.

“All community pharmacies and hospital pharmacies in primary, secondary and tertiary facilities in both the public and private sectors for private insurance or at states/federal or public sector levels must be registered by a superintendent pharmacist for inspection, registration and licensure by the PCN.

“The NHIA is duly obligated by law to request for and provide evidence that all facilities it has approved for health insurance in both the public and private sector are beneficiaries of fee for service, which is the lawful payment mechanism to compensate for consumption in the health insurance dynamics are in essence compliant with all the provisos earlier cited in (1-9) of the PCN Act 2022.”

However, the association is requesting full cooperation and support from the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) to note that under current law, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act 2022—no one can dispense drugs without being a registered pharmacists with all required licenses.