Pharmacists Advocate FG Subsidy To Bring Down Rising Cost Of Vaccines, Essentials Drugs
… Say Manufacturers Ready To Bridge Impact Of GSK, Others Exit From Nigeria
Nigerian Pharmaceutical companies are beginning to fill the gaps created by the exit of the likes of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi that changed its model, which has led to high pricing of essential drugs and medical care.
But they need the federal government to subsidise active pharmaceutical ingredients used for drug production.
The National Chairman, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Eze Ambrose Igwekamma disclosed this in an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER.
There are concerns across the country on the variation of drugs and the high cost of critical pharmaceutical products in Nigeria.
The issue that led to the rising costs was the exit of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from Nigeria in August 2023, ending its 51 years in the country.
GSK had cited operational difficulties with foreign exchange and cost of production, among others, as the reason for the exit.
GSK manufactures several drugs that treat high blood pressure, including Benitec IP 40 Mg Olmesartan Medoxomil Tablets.
For diabetes, GSk products include, Avandia (rosiglitazone), Tanzeum (albiglutide), and Byetta (exenatide). For Hypertension, the pharmaceutical company manufactures: Coreg (carvedilol), Avapro (irbesartan), Tekturna/Rasilez (aliskiren).
GSK also manufactures Advair, Anoro Ellipta and Arnuity Ellipta for asthma.
It also manufactures Augmentin, an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections.
French pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Sanofi, left Nigeria in November 2023.
The company transitioned to a third-party model, with a local company supplying and marketing its medicines and vaccines.
GSK’s exit and change of model have put pressure on patients who now spend more than 100 per cent more than the usual amount spent on the same drugs.
Local pharmaceutical companies like Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited, Juhel Nigeria Ltd and Fidson Healthcare Plc are struggling to fill the gap.
The Chairman of ACPN, Ambrose, said the exit and change of distribution model of the multinationals created a gap in the healthcare sector.
He said, “Because of the likes of GSK and Sanofi that have left the country, the costs of drugs have become too expensive. High tax rate, forex and power drove them from Nigeria.
“The environment was not conducive for them and they left. Automatically, those drugs that they sell will be scarce and if you have access to them, the drugs will be very expensive, this is the issue we are facing.”
He told THE WHISTLER that to bridge the gap, other local drug manufacturers are trying to rise to the occasion but they are in need of subsidies for active ingredients.
Ambrose said, “Local manufacturers are coming up with substitute products and they only need the government to support their endeavor.
“They need the government to support them in getting the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and subsidise them.
“If they have access to that, they can also do a replacement by producing it locally and people will have access to it.”
The ACPN boss lamented that the source of raw material is limiting local manufacturers from bridging the gap.
Ambrose said, “A lot of local manufacturers are already manufacturing BP and diabetes medications. The likes of Phamatex Nigeria Limited is producing Diabetmin Tablets. There is also a company, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Ltd, that is producing BP medications.
“They need government assistance, they need a reliable source of energy and the tariff is usually high.
“These companies are certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and they need every help possible from government including foreign exchange.”
Pharmacists Advocate FG Subsidy To Bring Down Rising Cost Of Vaccines, Essentials Drugs is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
