Total Number of Prescribers:

30,885 medical practitioners were registered in 2000 while the total number of registered dental practitioners for the same period was 2,221. Thus, the total numbers of persons authorized to prescribe drugs, consisting of both medical and dental practitioners in the year 2000 was 33,106. The estimated total for 2002 was 36,000.

Total Number of Dispensers

According to the Registered Council Data on Health Manpower the number of pharmacists in the year 2001 was 9,308 of which 6,412 were registered. Thus, the patient- pharmacist ratio was 10,743 to 1 based on an estimated population of 100 million in the year 2001. Data obtained from 22 out of the 36 states indicated that there are 864 pharmacy technicians and 224 pharmacy assistants working in the public sector.

Total Number of Drug Outlets

The total number of wholesalers in the country is 12,022; out of which about half (6,753) are registered with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria. No data is available on outlets in both public and private sectors. However, the total number of private pharmacies is 4,825 out of which 2,808 are registered with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria.