WHO Technical Briefing seminar
Geneva, 31 October – 04 November 2011.
Pharmaceutical Workforce situation analysis
Country cases studies
Mrs Helen Tata (WHO/EMP)
Dr Ogori Taylor (WHO/Nigeria)
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Overview
 Context
 Objective
 The tool
 Case study findings
– Nigeria
– Ghana
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Context (1)
 A well functioning pharmaceutical system needs personnel with
adequate skills and skill mix
 The public sector in most developing countries is often the hardest
hit from the pharmaceutical personnel crisis.
 Information on total workforce in the pharmaceutical sector in most
developing countries is scanty and in some cases unavailable.
Research concentrates on other categories of health personnel
 The lack of comprehensive data on pharmaceutical personnel forms
a gap in national capacity for planning for the human resources in
the pharmaceutical sector.
 Thus the generation of evidence to support pharmaceutical human
resources planning strategies is vital.
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Context (2)
 An important area of work for the EC-WHO joint programme of
action on Pharmaceutical Policies and Programmes in ACP
countries is the strengthening of HR capacity for the pharmaceutical
sector in order to improve access to medicines
 Development of a framework for HR planning for the pharmaceutical
sector forms the basis for strengthening this sector.
 Against this background, some countries in Africa planned in 2008 to
strengthen the pharmaceutical human resources capacity in their
countries.
 As a first step, an assessment to determine the capacity mix in the
pharmaceutical sectors of their countries was planned
 WHO has provided support in the development of tools that have
been used for these assessments.
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Objectives
 General Objective of the assessment
– To determine human resources availability in the
pharmaceutical sector in selected African countries.
 Specific Objectives to determine:
– the number of health workers currently providing pharmaceutical
services in both private and public formal sectors.
– the distribution of pharmaceutical personnel in both public and
private sectors.
– types of pharmaceutical training programs offered in countries
– current production capacity of pharmaceutical personnel in
schools in each country
– what categories of health workers other than pharmaceutical
personnel provide pharmaceutical services.
– the job satisfaction of pharmaceutical personnel both in the
public and private sectors. were also determined
Tool: Level III Indicators
 Number of facilities offering pharmaceutical services by type and
sector
 Density of pharmaceutical human resources per 10,000 population
by cadre
 Proportion of females for each pharmaceutical cadre
 Proportion of each pharmaceutical cadre by facility type and sector
 Density of each pharmaceutical cadre per 10,000 population by
region/district
 Description of salary ranges by setting and level
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Tool: Level III Indicators
 List of education programs offered by education level
 Total enrolment capacity of education providers by cadre trained
 Total academic faculty workforce by type of cadre trained
 Number of students enrolled in post-graduate programs by
education level
 Correlation between types of pharmaceutical services provided
and cadres employed
 Proportion of facilities with non-pharmaceutical cadres providing
pharmaceutical services
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
The Tool
 The tool is on WHO website
http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/m/a
bstract/Js17397e/
 Provides the methodology
 Indicators etc
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Countries involved
 The following ACP countries used the WHO tool
for the assessment:
1. Ghana
2. Nigeria
3. Sudan
4. Tanzania
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Nigeria
Case Study Results
Dr Ogori Taylor
WHO County office, Abuja, Nigeria
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
REGISTERED PHARMACIES (PCN)
Type of premises
Public pharmacies
Private facilities
Faith-based
Private retail
Total*
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
No
%
554
50
21
4115
4740
12
1
4
86
100
Pharmaceutical HR 2006 – 2008
Cadre
Pharmacists
Pharmacy
technicians
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
2006
2007
2008
12,514
13,167
13,490
675
879
1,120
Where pharmacists work (PCN)
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Gender Distribution by sector
Sector
Male
Female
Ratio
84
23
3.7
Manufacturing
174
27
6.4
Public sector
364
430
0.8
Total
622
480
1.3
Retail or wholesale
Males are more likely to work in the manufacturing sector and
private retail and wholesale than women
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Zonal distribution of pharmacists and
pharmaceutical premises
Zone
Population
(N= 140,003,542)
Pharmacists
(N=13,076)
Pharmacies
(N=7862)
South West
27,581,992 (19%)
6,597 (50%)
3,504 (44%)
South South
21,014,655 (15%)
1,096 (8%)
903 (11%)
South East
16,381,729 (11%)
1,813 (14%)
1,026 (13%)
North West
35,786,944 (26%)
1,033 (8%)
688 (9%)
North Central
20,266,257 (14%)
2,066 (16%)
1,404 (18%)
North East
18,971,965 (14%)
471 (4%)
337 (4%)
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Monthly Salaries ranges of Pharmacists by
facility type
Minimum in
Naira
Minimum in
USD
Maximum in
Naira
Maximum in
USD
Manufacturer
80,000
533
150,000
1,000
Retailer
52,083
347
75,000
500
Secondary HC
51,189
341
138,421
923
Tertiary
92,143
614
254,108
1,694
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Employment status by facility type
Sector
Public
PHC
Secondary
Tertiary
Private facility
Retailer
Manufacturer
Pharmacists
Perm. Temp.
17
3 (15%)
33
0(0%)
132
1(1%)
127
22(15%)
187
2(1%)
130
0(0%)
457 312(40%)
121
0(0%)
155
2(1%)
8
6 (43%)
23
0 (0%)
56
0 (0%)
82
26(24%)
18
2(10%)
191
5(3%)
236
0(0%)
369
(28%)
5
0(0%)
30
0(0%)
387
4 (1%)
694
8(1%)
Total
927
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Technicians
Attendants
Perm. Temp. Perm. Temp.
Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Permanent versus temporary pharmacists’
salaries
Pharmacists max
salary
Locum pharmacists’ max. Ratio pharmacist to
annual salary
locum
600,000
1,080,000
2
300,000
900,000
3
1,217,181
3,049,296
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
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Roles performed by personnel in health
facilities
Services provided by different categories of health workers
120%
96%
100%
80%
75%
69%
60%
40%
22%
20%
0%
Dispensing
Prescribing
Pharmaceutical staff
Nurse/Midwife
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Quantification
Compounding
Medical Doctor
Comm. Health Worker
Details of schools of pharmacy
University
Year of
commenceme
nt
Number of
students
Teacher/Studen
t ratio
Ownership
1
1980
28
N/A
--
Federal
2
1998
34
50
1.5
State
3
1970
44
120
2.7
Federal
4
1968
81
200
2.5
Federal
5
1980
36
593
16.5
Federal
6
1986
54
100
1.9
Federal
7
1964
51
109
2.1
Federal
40
115
2.3
Median
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No of
Teachers
Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Pharmacy degree applicants and
enrolments 2006 - 2008
Degree program
(pharmacists)
Year (5 schools)
2006
2007
2008
BPharm applicants
6030
6070
7863
BPharm enrolment
773 (13%)
866 (14%)
901(11%)
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Current/future challenges
Inadequate
funding
Physical
infrastructure
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Number of
teachers
MIGRATION CHARACTERISTICS
About half of the respondents had seriously considered leaving the country.
Many more respondents considered leaving for the private
sector/bilateral/multilateral organisations
Motivators for migration:
Migration outside
- Professional learning
opportunities
- Salary considerations
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Migration within
- Generous salary
- Professional growth
- Extra benefits
53% of respondents had seriously considered
moving abroad in the past five year
Reasons
% respondents
Professional Learning
Generous salary
Career opportunities
Safety concerns
Lack of supervision
Corruption in country
Excessive workload
Others
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
30%
28%
15%
11%
8%
7%
3%
3%
55% had seriously considered leaving for multilateral/bilateral
donor or NGO in the last 5years
Reasons
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% respondents
Generous salary
Professional growth
Extra benefits
Lack of necessary instruments
29%
28%
23%
7%
Corruption
Excessive workload
Lack of supervision
Others
5%
2%
1%
1%
Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Proportion of surveyed facilities with vacancies
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
LABOUR MARKET FOR PHARMACISTS
16% of pharmacists
are unemployed as
obtained from
annual renewal
license
56% of facilities
expressed difficulty
in filling the positions
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Only 12% of
facilities were able
to replace those who
moved abroad.
More than half of
surveyed facilities
have unfilled
pharmacy positions
Half of facilities did
not get applications
14% could not fill
positions due to
embargo placed on
recruitment
RECOMMENDATIONS (1)
 Improve data management at the PCN
Accurate data on entry and exit from the
pharmaceutical workforce
Data on pharmacy technicians maintained in
order to help with human resources planning
and development in the country.
 Plan adequate production of pharmacists and
pharmacy technicians on a needs based strategy.
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
RECOMMENDATIONS (2)
 Schools of pharmacy
Adequate infrastructure
Adequate staffing
Increased intake
 Improve distribution to underserved areas
Financial and
Non financial incentives
Adequate training for nurses and CHEWS
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
RECOMMENDATIONS (3)
 Improve conditions of service of pharmacists in both
private and public sectors
Attract pharmacists outside the workforce
Reduce attrition through emigration
High use of temporary staff should be further
investigated and the level to conform national and
international labour laws.
 Improve working conditions of pharmaceutical workforce
Optimal productivity
Improved job satisfaction.
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
Development of
Pharmaceutical Human
Resources Framework in four
countries
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Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
HR Consultations
 Consultative meetings held in four countries with
 key stakeholders (HRH, regulatory, insurance, poison's board etc.)

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Results of assessments informed discussions around:
1. Key issues affecting HR planning, management and
development
2. Key policy objectives to address each issue identified
3. Policy actions needed in short term and long term to
achieve policy objectives
4. Structures needed to achieve policy objectives
5. Key stakeholders and their roles
Helen Tata- TBS 02 November 2011
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Outcome of consultations
Framework for pharmaceutical human resources
development
Framework will serve as a reference document for
development of a costed pharmaceutical human
resources plan.
Draft pharmaceutical human resources plans available
for 2 countries (Ghana and Tanzania)
Pharmaceutical Human Resources plan to feed into the
the
Helen plan
Tata- TBS 02for
November
2011 Ministry of Health.
33 |HR
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