Amid the ongoing debates on the payment structure for professional services under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Lagos State chapter of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has criticised the current system, urging the NHIA to adopt the Lagos State Health Insurance Management Agency (LASHIMA) model by separating fees for professional services from capitation payments for other primary care services.

The ACPN Chairman, Tolu Ajayi, who spoke during a media briefing at the association’s corporate office in Ogudu, Lagos, to commemorate this year’s Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Scientific Week themed: “The Imperative of the March towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria: The Unique Place of Community Pharmacists,” said that the payment system must be simplified to move Nigeria closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the Universal Health Coverage, adding that the scheme must avoid complicating its payment system if it is to remain sustainable and effective.

Ajayi emphasised that when payments are routed through Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), it leaves pharmacists at the mercy of HMOs, who may delay payments.

He then advocated for the adoption and nationwide implementation of direct payments to community pharmacy practitioners as practised in Lagos to promote greater transparency and accountability, which are essential for the scheme’s efficiency and sustainability.

“Financial delays can demoralise service providers, hinder their operations, and prevent them from replenishing their stocks. The solution is for all states and the national scheme to adopt the direct payment model used in Lagos State,” he added.

Ajayi said that the PSN scientific week is a yearly event celebrated by pharmacists and pharmacy students to raise awareness about the role of pharmacists in the healthcare sector and promote the profession.

Meanwhile, a former presidential aspirant of the PSN, Anthony Bola Oyawole, called for greater recognition of community pharmacists, saying that pharmacists are the closest healthcare providers to the public and are used judiciously in advanced countries.