Tinubu Having Sleepless Nights Over Drug Price Hike – Minister

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu is concerned with the recent hike in the price of drugs and the recent scarcity of essential medicine in the country.

Speaking with reporters after the official commissioning of a new clinical complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte Metta, Lagos,  the minister revealed that the president was having sleepless nights over the current situation detailing that the high cost of drugs and the exit of some multinational pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria were key issues the president was working tirelessly to address.

Recall that multinational British pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation, GlaxoSmithKline made the announcement that it was leaving Nigeria in August of 2023.

In the aftermath of GSK’s exit, prices of medicine produced by the company went up as their products became scarce.

Naija News reports that the minister 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.”

“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.”