Afrigather Many Nigerians have continued to decry the growing worth of medication and referred to as for an intervention from the federal authorities.
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday mentioned the continual enhance within the costs of medication was not sustainable.
The costs of many prescribed and over-the-counter medicines have witnessed a gentle enhance, making them unaffordable and unavailable.
The worth enhance was heightened by the exit of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc in August 2023 and Sanofi pharmaceutical multinational in November 2023 from Nigeria.
In one of many large pharmacies visited, Augmentin 625mg and 1g are promoting for N12,300 and N13,300, respectively, as towards N3,000 to N5,000, whereas Amoxil 500mg is promoting for N4,060.
The Ventolin inhaler sells at N8,870 towards N2,000, whereas the Seretide inhaler sells at N31,950 towards N8,000.
Stella Ekundayo, a businesswoman and mom of three, mentioned the growing costs of medication had turn out to be insufferable, similar to the rise in meals costs.
“One card of paracetamol is now promoting for N300 to N400. How can we spend that a lot for simply paracetamol, which was once N50 to N100? Antimalarial medication have additionally elevated,” mentioned Ms Ekundayo.
In response to her, Coartem antimalarial drug now sells for N6,100 towards N3,000 plus.
“Meals objects have turn out to be very costly, and medicines too are very costly. How are Nigerians going to outlive?” she queried.
Amina Abdullahi, a faculty trainer, mentioned the hike in drug costs wanted to be addressed by the federal government because it was not sustainable.
” I’m an ulcer affected person, and among the medication I take have elevated by over 100 per cent in just a few months. As an example, gestid was once N400, however it’s now promoting at N1,000.
“Omeprazole now sells for between N1,000 to N5,000 relying on the model, as towards N500 previously, which was the most cost effective model,” she defined.
Tola Bode, a businessman, mentioned the rise in medication, particularly high-blood medication, was alarming.
” I purchased Exforge in December 2023 at N26,000. At the moment, it’s promoting for N32,000. Solely God is aware of how a lot it is going to be subsequent month.
“There must be concrete steps by the federal government to deal with this situation,” he mentioned.
Rachael Abujah, vice-president of the Affiliation of Nigeria Well being Journalists, mentioned the rise in treatment prices posed challenges for people, particularly kids affected by illnesses like bronchial asthma.
“A Seretide bronchial asthma inhaler manufactured by GSK, for instance, price about N8,000 in April 2023 however now retails for N70,000. Anti-biotics like Augmentin price as a lot as N25,000 as towards N4,500 in July 2023.
“How can Nigerians maintain this huge enhance? Individuals are struggling. A father needed to determine between shopping for an bronchial asthma inhaler for his youngster or paying the kid’s college charges,” she lamented.
Ms Abujah mentioned findings had proven that the rise in drug costs had additionally led folks to purchase expired medication unknown to them as a result of they had been cheaper.
Following the astronomical will increase in costs of medication, some residents of the FCT have resorted to herbal concoctions generally known as “Agbo” to deal with numerous diseases.
(NAN)
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