COVID 19 and the Nigerian depressed economy: Challenges, prospects for the pharmacists in academia

Abstract

Since the public health crisis brought on by COVID 19 swept across the world in the early 2020, the economies and financial markets of nations around the globe have been negatively impacted. The consequences have been significant rise in unemployment rates, drastic pay cuts of employed workers, drop in the manufacturing sectors with reduced production of goods and services, and a high index in the poverty level. These effects are even more telling in developing nations. Pharmacists, as frontline health workers, and especially those in the academia particularly in developing countries have not been insulated from these harsh realities. This commentary presents the economic realities in a specific developing country in Africa and comments on the challenges and prospects of these resourceful professionals in the healthcare at times like these. An understanding of the present circumstances and awareness of a reachable opportunity could ignite the drive for developing long term adaptive skillsets by pharmacists in the academia.