Healthcare sector: House moves to review high cost of drugs under NHIS
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The House of Representatives has resolved to review Medicine Price List under the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS to ensure that it’s in consonance with Nigeria’s current economic realities.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent National public importance moved by Hon Prof Paul Nnamchi, a lawmaker representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal constituency and the House Leader, Hon Prof Julius Ihonvbere on Thursday.
In his lead debate for the review, Hon Prof Nnamchi pointed out that the safety and well-being of Nigerians is of paramount concern to this legislative body, hitherto the people’s house adding that the National Health Insurance Scheme,NHIS was to be supervised by the National Health Insurance Authority as established by Act 35 of 2022 as well as serves as a critical lifeline for millions of Nigerian citizens.
According to the lawmaker, the scheme was envsioned to providing access to affordable, essential and quality healthcare services and medicines for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and gender.
He emphasized that the House is aware that Nigeria is currently grappling with economic hardship, inflationary pressures, and rising costs of living, which have had a profound impact on the affordability and accessibility of healthcare services and medications for many citizens and most particularly the vulnerable and marginalized segments of society.
“Perturbed that the existing medicines price list under the HIS framework no longer aligns with the current market dynamics and cost structures of pharmaceutical products as the last NHIS Price list review was in 2021 when the exchange rate was between 400- 420 NGN to 1 USD as against the current official rate of 1,594.34 NGN to 1USD”.
According to the lawmaker, “many vulnerable patients especially the marginalized segments of the society are finding it increasingly difficult to get essential and quality medications in the health management organizations (HMO’s), leading to adverse health outcomes and exacerbating the burden of illness in healthcare system.
Consequently, the House presided over by the Speaker Hon.Abbas Tajudeen unanimously adopted the motion with a voice vote.
The Speaker also has mandated the House Committees on Finance, Health Institution, Health care services, and Specialist Health Services to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Authority, and other relevant authorities to take necessary and urgent measures to ensure a comprehensive review of the medicines price list under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The relevant House Committees are expected to report back to the green chamber within two weeks for further legislative action.
