The Federal Government has been asked to create for local production of antiretro-viral drugs and vaccines.
The President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr Ahmed I. Yakasai, made this suggestion during an appraisal of the health sector at Pharmacy House, in Anthony Village, in Lagos.
He said the creation of such funds had become imperative because of the gradual withdrawal of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation Initiatives (GAVI) from Nigeria.
Yakasai said: “I need to advocate that there is a need to review our dependence on donor agencies, hence the government should strongly do something urgent on preventing grave development. I must appreciate the Federal Government through the National Health Care Development Agency for organising Stakeholders forum on Vaccines production to stimulate interest and develop a business plan for local vaccines production in Nigeria.”
He said as the country marches on in the year, the Federal Government must embrace universal health coverage to give teeth to global norms which presume that access to health must be the right of all citizens. “The fastest way to achieving this is to embrace primary healthcare which places a premium on preventive care. Nigeria’s first National Health Act was passed into law in 2014, but nothing serious has happened in terms of operating the basic tenets of the enabling Act,” he stated
He said if this Act is implemented, it will be funded from one percent of Nigeria’s consolidated revenue and grants by International donor partners through the National Health Care Development Agency which will manage 45 percent of the fund as follows: Essential Drugs and Vaccines 20 percent, Laboratory Equipment and Transport 15 percent, and Human Resources 10 percent.
Yakasai added: “While the National Health Insurance Scheme which will manage 50 percent of the fund will cover pregnant women, children who are less than five years, the elderly from 65 years and physically challenged persons. The Federal Ministry of Health will manage five percent of the fund for the provision of basic minimum package of health facilities (Emergencies).”
He identified other areas that needed to be addressed without delay for the health sector to be robust and without hiccups to include, “The welfare issues which have lingered for so long must be redressed.Adjustment of the CONHESS scale like was done with CONMESS scale to ensure parity must be achieved through the 2016 budgets. The clamour for consultancy cadre must be approved for those health workers who have met the condition precedent with regards to due process.
“Also this year, the legal and moral teeth must be given the Health Act as part of an agenda to energise healthcare plans for Nigerians. It is our hope that the 2016 budget (3.65 percent) will be fully implemented. The country’s health sector is still battling with poor access to public health interventions, while diseases like HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, etc are still with us. The Federal Ministry of Health must promote a true Public Private Partnership agenda which is fashioned out in conjunction with the relevant regulatory agencies and professional bodies with regards to the health professions,” Yakasai added.