The former chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and former president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Sam Ohuabunwa, has called on the Federal Government to commence medical palliatives to save Nigerians from dying due to lack of access to quality medicine.
He stated this in Arochukwu Abia State during the funeral of Grace Ugwu Ijiomanta, who died at the age 102.
According to him, medical palliatives would save Nigerians, especially the poor ones from dying in large numbers because of their inability to buy drugs or manage their ailments.
He observed that most palliative programmes carried out by the previous and present administrations in the country were concentrated on foods, arguing that while it was good for the government to give foods, the programme would not achieve total results if people were not given medical palliatives to save their lives.
He blamed the rising cost of drugs on the devaluation of the Naira and the nation’s currency’s struggles against the US Dollars, and explained that most raw and finished products in the medical industry were imported from foreign countries.
He declared that giving medical palliatives would cushion the effects of the rising prices of drugs in pharmacy stores nationwide.
“There is high inflation in the country and devaluation of the Naira. Most of the raw materials and finished materials are imported, so, this is why the government should pay attention. While they are paying attention to food palliatives, they should also give medicine palliatives.
“I have heard about food palliatives. I know that food is good but Nigerians also need medical palliatives to survive,” he stated.
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