Residemts of Ilorin, Kwara capital, are complaining of price increase of drugs, especially at patent medicine stores, which they attributed to the lockdown imposed by  government to contain spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The News Agency of Nogeria (NAN) recalls that the Kwara Government had on April 10, ordered for a total lockdown of all the 16 local government areas of the state, after four tested positive for the virus.

The state government banned all vehicular movement, but allowed four hours of shopping on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays weekly from 8 a.m to 12 p.m, and encouraged people to patronise markets in their neighbourhoods.

The government however said foodstuff sellers, operators of medicine shops and banks would be allowed to operate on the approved day and within the time given.

Mrs Mary Abel, a resident of Taiwo Road, said that all the chemists around the area have increased the price of drugs thus making life more difficult for the sick.

She said that the price increase started during the total lockdown as directed by the government, and the patent medicine stores have refused to accept the old price, with the excuse that drugs are now expensive.

Mr Ahmed Abioye, a resident at Surulere Area, also said that common drugs like Vitamin C and Malaria drugs have increased in prices, so also the price of sanitisers and disinfectants.

“Like people always say, there is no small illness, but some illnesses are more critical than the other, which is why doctors advise that it is better to cure every little pains, but with this increase in price, it will be difficult to buy drugs.

“Many people are knowledgeable of treating illnesses like headache, stomach upset, diarrhoea and the likes, with pain relief drugs, and antimalarial drugs before it becomes complicated.

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“But with the increase in the price of drugs, many people will consider buying food, than drugs, as it is well known that food price is less expensive than drugs,” he said.

Madam Iya Kamaldeen, a patent medicine operator, said that the total lockdown has made it very difficult for them to access whole sale pharmacies and had to buy from small pharmacies at retail price.

She explained that the cost price they normally sell drugs is almost the same with the price that they are buying from the pharmacies.

“Due to the total lockdown, many distributors could not open because of the few hours given for movement, which has affected the small patent stores, making it difficult to get drugs for sale.

“Only pharmacy stores that have licence and buy drugs in cartons are allowed to buy in pharmaceutical companies, and the pharmacies that sell whole sale have lots of demand and so they only sell to smaller pharmacies within the given time.

“That is why many drugs have increased in price, because we buy some drugs the same amount we usually sell them,” she said.

She said that they are also facing some challenges, as some security operatives are disturbing them from opening after the given time, which she said had made some chemists to close shops.

Kamaldeen said that the issue of chemist not having license to sell drugs had been debated for many years, yet they are very important to the society, as they are more accessible by residents. (NAN)