Nigerians sigh as the cost of pharmaceuticals and healthcare increases

GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK, leaving Nigeria was announced last week, shocking the entire nation.

One of the biggest pharmaceutical businesses in the nation, GSK, is responsible for the production of several well-known over-the-counter medications, vaccines, and consumer healthcare items under the names Panadol, Macleans, Andrew Liver Salt, and Amoxil.

Even as the cost of pharmaceutical drugs generally soars due to the naira’s wild slide, there is a threat of scarcity for these vital medications and others produced by GSK.

The common citizen can no longer afford some drugs at the present time.

A study conducted by OBASANJO NEWS24, which was supported by a few physicians and hospital chemists, revealed that the cost of pharmaceuticals and medical services had increased significantly over the previous two months by at least 80% to 150%.

An antibiotic tablet like Ciprotab (Fidson), for instance, used to cost about N2,300. In some retail stores, it is currently priced between N3,000 and N3,500.

Two months ago, the cost of a Ventolin inhaler canister (made by GSK Pharmaceuticals) averaged N4,500. Today, some retail stores will sell it for between N6,500 and N12,000 each. Augmentin now costs N17,000 instead of the previous N5000 price.

OBASANJO NEWS24 met with some patients who claimed they had stopped being able to pay conventional therapies and were now turning to traditional medicine.

The Daily Post was informed by Sayo Akintayo, a media consultant for the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), that it is not the responsibility of NAFDAC to set drug prices.

We are not responsible for the price of pharmaceuticals, he declared. Yes, we are solely focused on the production, marketing, and sale of pharmaceuticals. Accordingly, given the economic elements, that has to do with how the businesses operate.

“Determining the cost of medications is not within the NAFDAC’s purview. No medications are produced by us. What we do is make sure that whatever is created or produced for Nigerians to consume is of high calibre, efficient, and hygienic standards.

Drug makers have the only authority to set prices. And when you try to figure that out, quite a few factors are involved. Many different factors are taken into account, including your cost of production, however NAFDAC has no influence whatsoever.

The withdrawal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira, according to Dr. Emeka Orji, national president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), are two examples of the present government’s economic measures that he believes made the situation worse.

In an interview, Orji said to OBASANJO NEWS24 that the cost of goods in the nation is influenced by inflation, fuel costs, and exchange rates.

He asserts that a large number of the pharmaceuticals and drugs utilised in the nation are either entirely or partially produced abroad and that the exchange rate will have an impact on their cost.

By implementing a comprehensive national healthcare insurance programme, he advocated for the government to enhance healthcare access.

“The sufferings were brought on by the high inflation rate, which existed even before the current government took office, but it was made worse by the different economic measures that this government quickly introduced. One of them was the topic of gasoline subsidies being eliminated and the Naira being floated.

“In this country, inflation, fuel prices, exchange rates, and many other factors influence many product prices. You’ll discover that many of the pharmaceuticals and drugs we use here are either entirely or partially produced abroad. The exchange rate will therefore have an impact on such things, which has caused a sharp increase in the price of medicinal products.

“These days, we don’t even know what the price is because if you go to the store to buy anything today, the salesperson will give you a high price, and by the time you go back tomorrow, the price has increased even more.

“So, there’s a problem. Today’s average Nigerians cannot afford the majority of these drugs. One should anticipate that the government, which is discussing palliatives and other ways to lessen the impact, will also consider healthcare and drugs.

Many Nigerians are turning to unconventional methods that are harmful to their health because they are unable to afford medical care.

We are all Nigerians and what is occurring affects us, especially the health workers who make up the staff. In actuality, we are the ones who are being most impacted by it since we are aware that part of our responsibilities entail leading a nomadic lifestyle and being constantly mobile.

“I’m talking to you about doctors because occasionally people phone and want you to come out and take care of their medical requirements. We get calls to visit hospitals quite a bit. You must therefore constantly move, which has had a negative impact on our ability to work in this day and age due to the extremely high cost of petrol.

By the way, this is one of the reasons we’ve been yelling and clamouring for the government to look into the situation, find a method to help us, and start providing some sort of support right away.

“There is no justification for us not to establish a comprehensive health insurance programme in this nation. In actuality, no amount of speech or legislation would benefit Nigerians as long as we lack this.

“Nigerians are only currently covered by less than 10% of the health insurance programme. The main reason why Nigerians cannot get healthcare services is because of out-of-pocket medical expenses. When you write them a prescription for medication, these patients can no longer afford it, as we used to see at the hospitals where we worked.

“You want to operate on them, but they can’t afford it. Our eyes witness it. Due to their inability to pay for care, many of them discharge themselves against medical recommendations. And that is one of the difficulties we have as physicians because occasionally you may even find yourself having to pay for your patients. That level of badness is possible.

The federal government ought to find a method to boost funds. Increasing healthcare financing requires collaboration from the public and private sectors, since we are aware the government cannot accomplish this on its own. We frequently remark on how egregiously inadequate the annual health budget is. Using the Abuja declaration from 2021 as a guide, it is not even close to the 15% projected.

Less than 7% of the total budget for health in 2023 will remain unchanged from previous years. The staff and other requirements needed to provide a standardised healthcare delivery system in Nigeria won’t exist until the government raises financing for healthcare infrastructure.

Additionally, the government had to figure out how to control trans-medical personnel. I can vouch that traditional medicine is significantly less tightly controlled than medical practise. This is extremely risky because a lot of the concoctions they give patients actually cause organ failure, including failure of the kidneys, liver, and other organs.

While this was going on, some patients who spoke with OBASANJO NEWS24 claimed they had turned to traditional medicine since they could no longer afford contemporary therapies.

Additionally, a few folks who regularly take narcotics are now taking a break from them.

Patients with chronic illnesses like cancer in Nigeria are the hardest affected.

Gregory Ani, who claimed to have been taking diabetes medications for more than ten years, told OBASANJO NEWS24 that he was no longer able to pay the medication.

“My belief is waning. Before, N3,000 allowed me to purchase my two weeks’ worth of regular medications. My current treatment will take two weeks and will cost no less than N10,000.

I’ve chosen to limit it. Only when I experience an odd sensation do I take it, he stated.

Pharmaceutical industry stakeholders worry that many medication businesses may go out of business as a result of the high cost of diesel and other factors, such as the difficulty in obtaining foreign currency.

The Naira’s fast slide was a contributing factor, according to Giginna Mathias, a chemist at Save Health Pharmacy in Port Harcourt.

“The worst part is that no one is treating us like we’re stupid like they used to.

Some narcotics are even available off the shelf because you can’t buy something you know you can’t sell. It is bad for business,” he bemoaned.

Ekot Bassey, an Ogun State sales representative for a renowned pharmaceutical business, is frustrated by the economic climate.

According to Bassey, medicine costs rise daily, according to OBASANJO NEWS24.

Since fewer individuals are purchasing pharmaceuticals due to inflation, he claimed, it is having an impact on sales.

Dr. Okwudili Obayi, National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria and Consultant Psychiatrist at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, stated to OBASANJO NEWS24 that the financial crisis has had a significant impact on patients in many ways, including their access to care.

According to Obayi, less people are willing to visit a doctor when they are ill since only those without other options now think it is necessary to go to the hospital.

The health expert attributed the crisis in the health sector to corruption and argued that the government should fight corruption throughout the nation, starting with politicians.

Hardship typically impacts everyone once it occurs. The first is that it slows down care that is provided quickly, whether it comes through orthodox or atypical sources because none are free—not even in prayer houses, which are atypical.

“Insofar as you have to make your own way there, they are not free. So it has an impact on healthcare overall.

“In general, but not entirely, fewer individuals are going to doctors. With the new admissions message, the drop is greater. They worry that their ability to pay for the services may be compromised. The challenge is enormous. Some patients will even refuse to show up for appointments even after you’ve given them one.

Every doctor wants to provide their patients with the best care possible, but even with the NHIS, it is not always free. How many Nigerians use NHIS? Few only. As a result, it has significantly impacted how many individuals are able to access care and receive it in a way that is sufficient and in accordance with doctor’s orders.

The cost of medicines and all other items used in therapy has increased both on the market and in the hospital, which is bad news for the few people who visit the hospital. And some hospitals, particularly private hospitals, are no longer able to pay their employees; as a result, they either have to raise patient fees or lay off certain employees, which obviously affects the workload of the remaining staff.

The NARD’s strike was partially prompted by this. Since many healthcare professionals have left the country due to challenges and higher income abroad, this is part of their desire. Additionally, they aren’t changed. They want to be hired and replaced by the government. As a result, their patients’ output will be affected because there aren’t many people working, whether in a private or public context.

Economic hardship invariably has a wide range of effects on patients. Their ability to obtain care is affected. The only people who still think about going to the hospital are those without any other options. They are impacted by the fact that whatever they were purchasing previously—let’s say at N10—is now tripled or much more, whether they visit the hospital or decide to go to a patent medicine dealer to acquire pharmaceuticals on their own. As a result, which is unfortunate, the patient typically feels sicker. Moreover, it has an impact on the nation’s production.

“Corruption is the misery of all existence, thus my advise to the government is to face anti-corruption honestly and openly. Some people have faced difficulty because of corruption. Whether we had or did not have subsidies in the past, corruption is what gave rise to the story about them.

“Corruption is what makes people believe they can pay employees whatever they want or decide not to replace staff when they retire or leave—even important personnel, for that matter.

“My friendly advice is let’s get it right by reducing corruption, and it has to start with the politicians, the leaders who seem to be more corrupt than the common people,” the speaker said.