Doctors lament high cost of drugs

Doctors under the auspices of the National Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria have lamented the high cost of drugs in the country.

The association said the high prices of drugs would compound the woes of Nigerians, particularly those suffering from one ailment or the other, as many of them could not afford the prices.

The association’s President, Prof. Alphonso Isara, stated this while speaking with journalists at the 40th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Tuesday.

The conference was themed, ‘Repositioning Public Health in a New Political Dispensation’.

According to him, the health sector in the country was facing a series of challenges as a result of the social-economic crisis in the country, hence the need for stakeholders to tackle the problem.

He said, “The present political dispensation in Nigeria has ushered in an avalanche of public health issues that are threatening the healthcare delivery system of the country. There are many cracks visible in the health system building blocks.

“There is drastic depletion of the health workforce occasioned by brain drain, as many health workers have emigrated in drones from the shores of Nigeria for greener pastures abroad.

“The current socio-economic challenge impedes accessing healthcare for many citizens. Medical products, including drugs, remain out of reach of the majority of citizens as a result of policies and sundry conditions that have prevented manufacturing companies from operating effectively in Nigeria.

“Healthcare, especially public health is in danger in the present dispensation. However, APHPN will continue to push for a better healthcare system in Nigeria through advocacy, dedicated service delivery, stakeholder engagements, and capacity building of its members.”

Isara however declared the readiness of the association to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, other relevant agencies and relevant stakeholders in the health sector, especially the “Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme” of the present government.

“For half a century of its existence, APHPN has been a major actor and player in the healthcare delivery space in Nigeria”, he noted.

During the conference, Isara stated that the APHPN members would brainstorm during the plenary sessions and scientific paper presentations to proffer solutions to the current challenges in the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria.

He said, “One of the ways to achieve this is to reposition public health services for a better, effective and efficient healthcare delivery. Repositioning public health in this political dispensation is an uphill task, but one that must be done.

“Having worked so hard for 50 years, it becomes imperative for us to celebrate our success. For this reason, a day in this conference has been dedicated to the golden jubilee celebration.”