The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has said the exit of pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria has resulted in drug shortages in the country, urging the federal government to halt the negative trend as soon as possible.
Addressing journalists, Wednesday, in Abuja, the newly elected NMA chairman, Prof Bala Audu, said the exit had brought geometric increases in the prices of drugs and job losses, saying that the exodus had raised serious concerns about the future of access to essential medicines by Nigerians
He appealed to the government to take urgent action to mitigate the impact of exodus of pharmaceutical and multi-national companies by creating friendly business environment as well as make adequate investment in the domestic pharmaceutical and other companies.
Audu said the 64th NMA Annual General Conference/Delegates Meeting held in Cross Rivers state, recently, reviewed the level of progress made in clearing the backlog of salary arrears, implementation of the new hazard allowance, as well as the implementation of revised Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) of medical doctors and other health workers.
He said that the conference was impressed with the various interventions of the Executive Governors of Ekiti, Rivers, and Ebonyi States, adding that the conference also noted the level of progress made by other governors in clearing the backlog of unpaid salaries and improving the wages of doctors and other health workers in their states.
He said the conference noted the increasing number of quacks apprehended over the past few months, lamenting that quackery had brought untold hardships to many Nigerians, in terms of attendant complications with deadly outcomes.
He said that the conference deliberated on various recommendations proposed for amendments in the NMA constitutions and that the conference urged the government at all levels to, as a matter of urgency, prioritise and show more commitment to healthcare funding, even as he said this will enable payment of better and competitive wages.
He said that government commitment to funding of the healthcare would bring about improving working conditions and creating enabling environment for medical practice.
