The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has criticised the Federal Government for perpetuating salary disparities and systemic inequities in the nation’s health sector and warned that new government proposals could further widen the gap between doctors and other health professionals.

Speaking ahead of the 98th Annual National Conference, DABO 2025, PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, condemned moves to introduce a “relativity clause” between the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), describing it as “immoral, unlawful, and divisive.”

Addressing journalists at the PSN Secretariat in Lagos, Tanko said the plan would allow physicians to earn significantly more than other professionals on the same grade level, undermining the principle of parity-based wages already established under the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Tracing the disparity to 1991 under the former Health Minister, late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, Tanko said the proposed policy would institutionalise a “relativity within relativity,” making medicine the only attractive health career. He also lamented the mass migration of pharmacists, revealing that over 8,200 had failed to renew their licences in five years, and urged the government to introduce special allowances reflecting pharmacists’ critical role in patient care.

Tanko demanded the full implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant Cadre, already approved by the National Council on Establishments, accusing some federal and state institutions, particularly Lagos, of bowing to pressure from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). He reminded the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of his 2019 promise to reinstate the cadre, saying, “The countdown to the end of his tenure has begun.”

The PSN president also faulted the proliferation of “Universities of Medicine/Medical Sciences,” calling the name discriminatory and unconstitutional. He argued that it elevates medicine above other health professions, contrary to the spirit of equality enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Tanko further warned that allowing one profession to dominate health institutions could weaken interdisciplinary collaboration and compromise the quality of healthcare delivery. He noted that the concentration of leadership roles in the hands of physicians discourages teamwork and undermines the contributions of other professionals essential to patient care.

He called on the Federal Government to establish an independent Health Sector Reform Commission that would review all existing policies, promote equity among professionals, and ensure that remuneration, training, and leadership opportunities reflect merit and competence rather than professional affiliation. “Only a fair and balanced system can guarantee sustainable healthcare outcomes for Nigerians,” he concluded.

Tanko announced that the PSN would celebrate its centenary in March 2027, describing it as a milestone for one of Nigeria’s oldest professional bodies. He also unveiled plans for DABO 2025, scheduled to hold in Kano, where Prof. Peace Chinedum Babalola will deliver the keynote on “Pharmacy Forward: Building a Future-ready Workforce for Performance, Collaboration and Transformation.” He reaffirmed PSN’s resolve to defend fairness and professionalism in the health sector, insisting, “We will not allow any policy that tramples on the rights and dignity of pharmacists.” (SUN)