According to Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, the majority of Nigerian households now turn to prayers rather than buying medication so they can heal themselves when they are ill.
This was said by Obi on Wednesday during the 6th Public Lecture of the Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN), at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, during his keynote speech.
He lamented the status of the country’s health system, claiming that a number of pharmaceutical companies had left the country, making medications prohibitively expensive for the underprivileged, to the point where most houses now turned to prayer.
Speaking at the event with the theme “Access to Quality Medicine in An Unstable Environment,” Obi stated that the government has been issuing licences for the importation of drugs and collecting money from the importers, rather than collaborating with the local pharmaceutical industries to manufacture high-quality medications.
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“I went to a primary health clinic on the outskirts of Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and I saw that there was only one doctor there to care for the 50 pregnant patients.
How many of the nation’s roughly 24,000 primary health clinics are actually in operation?
“There is nothing particularly noteworthy about the current national budget’s allocation to health. Prioritising health-related concerns is necessary, and in addition to offering health insurance to all citizens, the government should consciously implement measures to guarantee the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies locally.
“In order for us to proceed, we must demolish the current leadership structure in the nation and demonstrate a shared commitment to installing a government that would offer excellent governance.
The only effective medication available in most households these days is prayer because medicines prices are so high. We can’t carry on in this manner,” he declared.
Dr. Joel E. B. Adagadzu, the chairman of BOF-PSN, had earlier commended Obi for his dedication and selflessness in leading the fight for a new Nigeria.
He said that the nation’s chemists are dedicated to enhancing the health industry in the nation.
