Percy Onyeka
According to Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the federal government is working with a number of partners, including pharmaceutical companies, to lower the cost of cancer treatments and pharmaceuticals throughout the nation.
He made this statement yesterday at the Project Pink Blue-organized World Cancer Day Symposium, which had as its theme “Economy, Tax and Cancer Control: The Exit of Pharmaceutical Companies from Nigeria.”
He noted that in order to establish rules that would support regional pharmaceutical manufacture, the government was currently examining the nation’s pharmaceutical legislation.
The executive director of Project Pink Blue, Runcie Chidebe, expressed concern over the exit of pharma companies from Nigeria and its dire implications on the economy and the cost of cancer medications.
He said the exit of the pharmaceutical companies has caused an astronomical increase in the prices of drugs up by 200% or more.
He said it is therefore worrisome how a population of largely poor people can keep affording life-saving medicines.
Techrectory with Agency Report
