The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has lamented the rising number of members leaving the nation’s borders, noting that more than 5,000 people have done so in the last five years.
The society’s President, Prof Cyril Usifoh, disclosed this at its 95th Annual National Conference in Lagos on Wednesday.
He noted that about 5,208 pharmacists have left the country in the last five years in search of green pastures, especially in Canada, the UK, and the United States.
“There is just one pharmacist for over 14,000 Nigerians,” he said.
According to the World Health Organisation, the acceptable and recommended ratio of pharmacists to the population is one pharmacist to every 2,000 people.
Low pay, poor health system and government negligence are some of the factors forcing Nigerian health personnels to seek better opportunities abroad.
