The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, has said that President Bola Tinubu is having sleepless nights over the hike in drug prices and scarcity of essential medicines in the country.
The minister noted that the high cost of drugs and the exit of some multinational pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria were key issues the president was working tirelessly to address.
Recall that in August 2023, British multinational drug maker and biotechnology company GlaxoSmithKline announced its exit from Nigeria.
Following its exit, the prices of the drug produced by the company reportedly skyrocketed and became scarce.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the official commissioning of a new clinical complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte Metta, Lagos, Alausa said the president had directed the Ministry of Health to look for sustainable ways to solve the problem of hikes in drug prices.
He stressed that the president was determined to build sustainable, durable and comprehensive healthcare systems for Nigerians.
