Pharmacists kick as FMoH signs Medipool drug procurement deal

2026-02-23 - 16:58

... Allege breach of procurement, Pharmacy laws By Chioma Obinna The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, on Monday accused the Federal Ministry of Health of violating existing Acts of Parliament following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Medipool, a private firm, to run a centralised drug purchasing system for Nigeria’s health sector. In a press statement jointly signed by the National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose and the National Secretary, Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore, the pharmacists described the agreement as a flagrant violation of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the PCN Act 2022, and the National Health Act 2014, warning that the deal could undermine lawful drug procurement processes and professional standards in the country. The Ministry had said the Medipool arrangement was designed to streamline procurement, ensure competitive pricing, guarantee steady supply of essential medicines, and improve value for money across federal health institutions. But the ACPN insisted that no objective, however noble, can override the rule of law. “The proposed objectives of Medipool achieving competitive pricing, ensuring consistent supply of essential medicines, and leveraging government purchasing power cannot override adherence to the law,” the statement read. Citing provisions of the Public Procurement Act, the pharmacists argued that all public procurement must be conducted through open competitive bidding, backed by budgetary appropriations and subject to regulatory oversight. “In light of the listed provisions, a private entity is not legitimately authorised to enter into a contractual arrangement that confers exclusive privilege to supply drugs and medical consumables without competitive bidding in Nigeria,” the association stated. The ACPN further contended that under the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Act 2022, only registered pharmacists are legally empowered to import, export, mix, compound, prepare, dispense, counsel, sell, procure and distribute drugs in Nigeria. “We confirm with a huge sense of responsibility that there is no other professional, even outside healthcare, charged with the specific responsibility of drug procurement through licensure apart from registered pharmacists,” the association declared. The pharmacists also raised concerns about plans to fund the Medipool initiative through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, warning that such integration must strictly comply with existing procurement laws and national health regulations. On the troubled history of the Drug Revolving Fund, the ACPN alleged that poor management by non-pharmacist-led administrations in some federal health institutions had weakened the scheme, leaving hospitals heavily indebted to suppliers. “As at November 2023, sources in the pharmaceutical industry put the indebtedness of 73 Federal Health Institutions to suppliers at over N30 billion,” the statement claimed. The association referenced a 2010 directive issued under former President Goodluck Jonathan, which allowed pharmacists to retain professional leadership in drug quantification, sourcing and quality control due to the specialised nature of medicines. “If these endeavours were deemed relevant in the professional realm, why then will the Federal Ministry of Health in 2026 take us back to unlawful models?” the ACPN queried. The pharmacists also cited Section 27(5) of the PCN Act, which they said prohibits private pharmacy facilities from operating public pharmacies within government institutions, arguing that the Medipool structure risks contravening that provision. Describing the MOU as invalid and a nullity within all known lawful contexts in Nigeria, the ACPN called on the Federal Ministry of Health to suspend the agreement and instead pursue a Drug Revolving Fund model backed by an Act of Parliament in the public interest.