By Zainab Bakare

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed an immediate plan to be implemented to control the skyrocketing prices of drugs in the nation.

This directive was disclosed in a meeting of key stakeholders in Lagos by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate. The meeting was held to discuss problems faced by the sector, especially the hike in drug prices.

The meeting was organized to enumerate the challenges faced by the sector, which the minister promised the Federal Government would address.

The minister, Ali Pate, stated that the Federal Government is actively pursuing the growth of the pharmaceutical manufacturing and local manufacturing sector to ensure all citizens of Nigeria have access to affordable drugs. He said:

“This consultation that we have had is fine, and we will have the second consultative forum in three months’ time.

“As you know, the president has directed that an Executive Order be developed to address it and will begin to reduce the barriers to local drug manufacturing to enable the industry to thrive.

“And we expect that over time, it will reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals. The rising cost of pharmaceuticals is a major issue that bothers all of us as a government.

“It is not only a Nigerian issue; it is a global issue. In the context of our administration, we are very focused on what we can do to reduce the burden on Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable.

“So, this is a very fruitful consultation that we have had with the industry.”

The stakeholders who attended the meeting include CEOs of Pharmaceutical Industries, the Director-General of the National Agency Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Moji Adeyeye, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Prof. Cyril Usofoh, Registrar of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Ahmed, President of the Federation of Nigeria Pharmaceutical Industry Associations, Dr Okey Akpa, Chairman of the Group of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Oluwatosin Jolayemi, and heads of pharmaceutical groups and professional bodies.

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