Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, says President Bola Tinubu is having sleepless nights over the high cost of drugs and scarcity of essential medicines in the country.
He said the president is tirelessly working to address the exit of some multinational pharmaceutical companies from the country.
Speaking after the commissioning of a new clinical complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte Metta, Lagos on Friday, January 5, 2024, the minister said the president has ordered his ministry to find a sustainable solution to the hike in drug prices.
“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,” he said.
He explained that his ministry was working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to address the importation of fake drugs into the country.
“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,” the minister said.
Alausa said the federal government has started talking to some companies that are planning to leave to stay saying, “We are also working on various forms of integrations where we can encourage local manufacturing in our country.” CONTINUE READING……………………..
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