Lagos PSN raises alarm over pharmacist shortage, demands govt intervention

Urges Sanwo-Olu to strengthen drug control directorate

By Chioma Obinna

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Lagos State Branch, has issued a strong warning over what it described as a “dangerous depletion” of pharmacists in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, cautioning that the situation is already weakening drug regulation and opening the door to statutory breaches in the state’s healthcare system.

Speaking at the 2026 Annual Luncheon and inauguration ceremony weekend in Lagos, the Chairman of PSN Lagos, Pharm. Olaitan Ogunlade, made a passionate appeal to the Lagos State Government to urgently intervene and restore professional balance within the Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services (DPS).

Ogunlade warned that the DPS, once a national model for pharmaceutical administration was now “under severe strain” due to staffing shortages and structural fragmentation.

“The Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services of Lagos State has historically been a pace-setter in Nigeria, but that proud legacy is under threat unless urgent corrective measures are taken,” he said.

He noted that the directorate, which oversees critical regulatory functions including drug inspection, counterfeit control, essential drug programmes, and pharmaceutical laboratories, is now being stretched beyond capacity.

According to him, the situation has been worsened by the migration of pharmacists into other agencies such as the Health Service Commission, the Primary Healthcare Board, and LASUTH, leaving the Ministry of Health’s DPS with only a single functional director overseeing more than ten operational units.

“We are now witnessing a dangerous depletion of pharmacists in strategic regulatory positions. This is already creating gaps in drug control and weakening compliance structures across the health system,” Ogunlade warned.

He further raised concerns about what he described as “encroachment into statutory pharmaceutical functions,” citing cases where drug handling and dispensing in some state health programmes were allegedly being carried out in violation of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022.

“Section 22 of the PCN Act is clear: drug facilities must be under the direct supervision of superintendent pharmacists. Any deviation is not only illegal but potentially dangerous to public health,” he stated.

The PSN Lagos Chairman called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently approve the recruitment of additional pharmacists into the state civil service and to consider a temporary redeployment of senior pharmacy officers to reinforce regulatory operations within the Ministry of Health.

“We respectfully appeal to His Excellency to act decisively. Lagos must not allow its pioneering pharmaceutical regulatory system to weaken at this critical time,” Ogunlade said.

He also proposed a strategic reshuffle across health institutions to restore balance and ensure effective pharmaceutical governance across all state health agencies.

Despite the concerns, Ogunlade commended the state government for creating senior pharmacist director positions at Grade Level 17, describing it as a progressive reform that has inspired other states.

The luncheon, which also marked the inauguration of newly elected PSN Lagos executives, served as a platform for fundraising and recognition of outstanding professionals in the pharmaceutical sector.

Ogunlade announced that proceeds from the event would support the upgrade of the PSN secretariat, the rebranding of its annual Scientific Week, and the launch of a Pharmacists Support Initiative aimed at strengthening professional welfare.

He also celebrated young pharmacy graduates from the University of Lagos, urging them to pursue excellence beyond academic achievement.

“We hope to see you all rise to the very top and extend the frontiers of pharmacy practice. The future of healthcare depends on your commitment,” he told the graduating awardees.

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