Date: 2017-03-13

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kwara State chapter has condemned existence of pharmacy in hospitals, describing it as an anomaly.

The Chairman, Olayiwola Olushina, also noted that most hospitals in the state operate pharmacy without engaging service of specialist.

In a telephone chat with Pilot Health at the weekend, he described the practice as risky and illegal, saying it is only legal for hospitals to operate dispensary.

Olushina explained that "dispensary is where you have attendant to give out drugs while at the pharmacy, drugs are given as well as counsel," adding that information about the effect, risk and danger is essential when a patient is given a prescription, which is the sole responsibility of a qualified pharmacist.

"It is illegal, because a pharmacy is not a pharmacy except there is a pharmacist there. What they ought to put there is dispensary for emergency drugs when the need arises. Dispensary is where you have attendant, who gives out drugs," the PSN chair explained.

He added, "There are some drugs that have reactions, if a patient goes to a pharmacist he or she can be asked questions, and a possible solution on the effect of such drugs. A pharmacist will tell you more about the drug but a dispensary will just give it to you based on the prescription of the doctor". Olusina stressed that it is unprofessional for a doctor to assume the role of a pharmacist, saying there could be dire consequence.

A doctor diagnoses and in the cause of treatment prescribes drugs and this is where the pharmacist comes in. Everybody has his individual roles. A doctor cannot play the role of a pharmacist although one cannot do without the other. In developed countries to get any drug beside emergency drugs, you have to go get it at a pharmacy shop."

He also said, "the only hospital in Ilorin registered to run a pharmacy shop is the Ilorin General Hospital. Every other hospital is just doing that to save cost and it is a risk to the patients."

He however revealed that the society has tried getting a national prescription policy that forbid pharmacies from consulting and the doctors from dispensing. "So far, there have been stumbling blocks because people that are benefiting from it are not ready to give up. The law is there but the implementation has been the problem." he lamented.

Reacting to the issue, the Kwara State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Mr. Kunle Olawepo, stated that the role of pharmacist is not to dispense drugs but to be in the lab formulating and inventing new drugs. He agreed that it is wrong for hospitals to operate pharmacy without qualified pharmacists, saying, "Drugs are poison and there is need for proper consultation before usage."

"Yes, patients are to go to the pharmacy to get drugs but in the real sense, pharmacists are not supposed to be dispensing drugs, it is only in Nigeria, you find a pharmacist sitting down and selling drugs. The role of the pharmacist is to formulate drugs, invent drugs, they are supposed to be in the lab researching and bringing up new drugs."

He, however, noted that a doctor is also trained in pharmacology that gives him the role of counseling. "If there is a private hospital and you have pharmacy technician, then definitely you can dispense drugs there whether emergency, routine or what have you," he added.