The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, on Saturday said strengthening local production of medical products would help address the rising cost of drugs in the country.
Pate, who lamented that the prices of antibiotics and basic medications—once sold at affordable rates—had skyrocketed, blamed “happenings around the international arena” for the soaring drug prices.
He spoke at a cancer awareness programme organised by the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association and emphasised the importance of unlocking the health value chain to promote local production to combat high drug prices.
Pate who was represented at the event by his Senior Special Adviser, Emmanuel Odu, said, “Unlocking the healthcare value chain, and that relates to the issue of strengthening or initiating the local manufacturing of health products, medical products, medicines and other associated products.
“We know now that the cost of medicines or medications is very high. Antibiotics, basic medications that you could buy at N4,000 quite some time ago, the prices are high due to what is happening in the international arena.
“So unlocking the health value chain strives to increase the local production of health commodities and medicines.”
Speaking on the government’s efforts to combat cancer, Pate said Cancer centres were being established in all the six geographical zones.
He added that diagnosis, treatment and high-level interventions, which many travel out of the country to receive, would be carried out in all the centres.
Pate added, “As an example, aligned to what you are doing; the government has established cancer centres in each of the geopolitical zones where diagnosis, treatment and high-level interventions in terms of cancer management will happen in all the geopolitical zones across the country.
“This will mean that the services that are being sought after in countries outside the world, India, Germany and different parts of the world will be done in Nigeria. ”
Speaking, the National President of NAFOWA, Rakiya Abubakar, promised that the association would fight the disease and give support to those battling it.
She said, “As an association, we stand unwavering in our commitment to fight this disease. We pledge to be the voice of the voiceless, a source of hope for those facing the toughest battle and a beacon of change within our nation.
“Together with education, empowerment, and our cancer treatment centre, we are well equipped to make significant strides towards eradicating cancer. Let us unite in this cause and walk towards a future where cancer no longer casts a shadow over our lives.”
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