The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said the hike in drug prices and scarcity of essential medicines in the country is giving President Bola Tinubu sleepless nights.
Alausa said the president was working tirelessly to address the high cost of drugs and the exit of some multinational pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria.
The Minister who spoke with newsmen shortly after the official commissioning of a new clinical complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte Metta, Lagos, said the Ministry of Health has been directed to look for sustainable ways to solve the problem of hikes in drug prices by the President.
He stressed that the president was determined to build sustainable, durable and comprehensive healthcare systems for Nigerians.
He said, “Mr. President is having sleepless nights on this drug scarcity. He has discussed with us what we need to do.
“What President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants for this country is sustainable, durable, comprehensive health care. He just doesn’t want us to scratch the surface.
“He (Tinubu) is very real and very truthful to Nigerians. He wants to fix the healthcare system, and he is working to deploy his time and resources of the country into our healthcare system.
”I know things are hard, but Nigerians should bear with us. Things will be turned to get better in the not-too-distant future.”
Continuing, the minister said, “It is a multifaceted solution that we have to provide to this problem. Number one, we have the problem of counterfeiting as well.
“We are working with NAFDAC and Customs to reduce the importation of counterfeit drugs into our country.
“We are also working with some of the local pharmaceutical companies to increase production.
”And some of the companies that are planning to leave, we are talking to them to bear with us not to leave. We are also working on various forms of integrations where we can encourage local manufacturing in our country,” he maintained.
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
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