The debate over the implementation of consultant cadres for pharmacists and nurses has intensified, as the Clinical Pharmacists Association of Nigeria (CPAN) criticised the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) for opposing the reforms, accusing the group of misleading policymakers and resisting evidence-based improvements in the health sector.

The clinical pharmacists insist that NAMDA’s December 1, 2025, petition to the Head of Service of the Federation misrepresented facts, recycled outdated arguments and undermined efforts to modernise Nigeria’s health system.

In a statement jointly signed by its National Chairman, Dr Maureen Nwafor, and National Secretary, Dr AbdulMuminu Isah, the association criticised NAMDA’s submission as unacademic, internally contradictory and lacking the intellectual rigour expected of an academic body.

Nwafor said CPAN was compelled to respond because the petition misled policymakers and sought to roll back reforms grounded in evidence. She argued that the petition lacked scholarly structure, failed to cite existing literature and relied heavily on fear-based rhetoric.

According to her, a credible academic document must rest on evidence, logical analysis and a review of established research, but NAMDA’s petition fell short on all counts. She described it as riddled with contradictions, emotional blackmail, outdated references and claims that collapsed under basic scrutiny.

Nwafor faulted NAMDA for making scientifically baseless assertions, suggesting that pharmacists and nurses lacked clinical relevance. She said available global and Nigerian evidence overwhelmingly affirmed the clinical value of both cadres across hospital, community and specialised care settings.