The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has supported the Federal Government’s decision to create a committee to handle collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) for health sector unions.
Pharmacists praised the move and called for an end to what they see as long-standing unfair treatment by doctors, who they say have controlled leadership positions and received special benefits in the health system.
In a statement from its President, Ayuba Tanko, PSN said the health sector is facing a crisis, with many unions threatening strikes and some already taking action.
Tanko explained that the unrest was expected, given how non-doctor health workers have been treated unfairly in a system dominated by doctors for many years.
The PSN pointed to key issues like only appointing doctors as heads of Federal Health Institutions, biased political appointments, and the constant sidelining of other health professionals.
They said this has created a system that keeps things unfair and blocks the progress of other professionals in the health sector.
Tanko said the new CBA committee should be a turning point to fix long-standing problems. He urged the government to honor past agreements with health unions like JOHESU and AHPA, including long-overdue updates to the CONHESS salary structure.
He pointed out that while doctors’ salaries under CONMESS have been reviewed three times since 2014, the salaries under CONHESS haven’t been reviewed in over 10 years, which he called unfair.
PSN also asked the government to update job roles and salaries to match current training and skills. They said Pharm.D holders should earn the same call duty allowance as doctors, calling the current low rate “ridiculous and unfair.”
They also want academic pharmacists to be included in the CONHESS structure and for the government to quickly develop a consultant pharmacist role to improve pharmacy education and clinical care.
Tanko said this is a time for fairness and warned against favoring any group. He mentioned that old policies like the Medical Salary Scale and Decree 10 caused inequality for years, and Nigeria should not repeat those mistakes.
He ended by urging the government to build on the unity shown during the launch of the CBA committee, where all major health unions were present. He said only fairness and justice can motivate health workers to give their best for Nigerians.
