By Ejime Udueme…..
Nigeria has been grappling with the issue of subsidies, particularly in the petroleum sector.
In recent times, there has been growing demand for subsidies on essential drugs with experts lamenting the high cost of treating diabetes, malaria, yellow fever and other life threatening ailments, which has become unaffordable for most Nigerians.
Similarly, the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to subsidize malaria drugs, by making them freely available at all government health centers.
This was in response to the rising number of fatalities, resulting from untreated malaria fever.
The removal of the fuel subsidy has also sparked demands for improved healthcare funding, with stakeholders advocating for the government to channel the freed-up resources into developing healthcare infrastructure and making foreign exchange available for drug manufacturers.
Overall, there is a growing need for subsidies on essential drugs in Nigeria and the government is being challenged to take action, in order to make these medications more affordable and accessible.
Healthcare subsidies, when in place would provide support to healthcare programs such as Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act.
The high cost of drugs in Nigeria has led to a significant mortality rate, particularly among those with chronic disease conditions.
Many Nigerians are unable to afford genuine drugs, resulting in a high rate of drug failure and increased mortality.
Some of the obvious advantages of drug subsidy in Nigeria if implemented would be, helping the poor and vulnerable to have access to needed drugs for their health care.
There would also be better health outcomes, reduced morbidity and mortality rates.
Implementation of a drug subsidy would help to alleviate the financial burden on individuals and families, which would in turn, reduce the likelihood of catastrophic health expenditures and medical poverty.
Provision of health care subsidy would lead to better disease management, reduction in complications and hospitalization.
Diseases that can benefit from subsidy in Nigeria include Malaria where, ninety seven percent of the population is at risk; typhoid Fever, Lassa Fever, tuberculosis, cholera, meningitis, antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV AIDS and yellow fever.
High mortality rate following the outrageous cost of drugs highlights the urgent need for affordable and accessible healthcare in Nigeria, to reduce death toll and improve overall healthcare.
It is also paramount for families to enroll themselves into health insurance schemes to complement the anticipated subsidy as a sure way to enjoy prompt healthcare services.
It is a truism that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, as such, Government at all levels, multinational companies and other key stakeholders should see no amount as too high to keep citizens healthy for effective conceptualisation, implementation of policies and programmes.