Pharmacists Decry Inadequate Budgetary Allocation To Health Sector

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), has expressed reservation over the five per cent budgetary allocation to  the nation’s health sector,saying it was inadequate and unacceptable.

The group also wondered why the government didn’t implement the  recommended 15 per cent  allocation to the sector

Its national president,Sam Ohuabunwa, who spoke at a press briefing in Lagos,ahead of the society’s  national conference holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, later in the year,also

advocated the need for accountability on how the money released by governments is spent for the benefit of all Nigerians.

He expressed support for the compulsory patronage  of COVID-19 vaccines,and advised

the government to intensify efforts to enlighten Nigerians to maintain personal hygiene, particularly undertaking mass health education at the grassroots level.

He implored  organisations and individuals to support the government as it grapples with the challenges associated with the pandemic.

The theme of the conference, according to him,is ,”COVID-19 Lessons: Broadening/Strengthening the Nigerian Pharmaceutical/ Health Sector”.

He assured that the confab  would address contemporary issues covering health, economy and social life of Nigerians.

He added:”The health of Nigerians should be a priority. Mental health should be an integral part of primary health care, giving that some of the none pharmaceutical measures adopted to contain the spread of the virus could impact people’s mental health.

“The Nigeria health care system could have succumbed to pressure if we had been hit as hard as the western world. The negligence of the primary health care structure over the years would have thrown olfull blown repercussions.Community pharmacies should be officially recognised as primary health care centres as it is the world best practice”.