Obasola Michael AKANJI
It’s no news that the prices prices of goods and services have continued to soar in recent times owing to the devaluation of the naira and increased cost of transportation.
This increase has not spared essential medicines relied on by many Nigerians to stay healthy and alive.
Increase in the prices of essential medicines has a direct effect on the quality of life and life expectancy of Nigerians. This can lead to worsening health indices and lower life expectancy when people cannot afford their essential medicines.
The Federal government must act urgently to salvage the situation and save the lives of many Nigerians who depend on essential medicines for their health.
Priority must be given to pharmaceutical companies to access foreign exchange from the official market rather than the more expensive parallel market. This will go a long way in reducing the cost price of essential medicines.
Taxes on medicines must be reduced or removed for the time being to cushion the effects of the spiralling inflation on price of medicines.
The ministry of health must summon the political will to institutionalize the recommendation of World Health Organisation on the use of scientific names in prescriptions. In this period of economic hardships , there is no point in prescribing expensive brands. All prescribers must use scientific names.of drugs to prescribe so that cheaper but effective drugs can be dispensed to patients.
Patients must be saved the stress of looking around for a specific brand when readily available brands are equally effective. Patients should not be stressed any further looking for expensive brands when cheaper alternatives that are equally effective exist.
OUR HEALTH ANSWERS 