Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) said, on Thursday, that it has completed the review of both professional service charge and NHIS drug list, with new drugs and products added to drug list.
The review was in response to concerns of stakeholders that inflation has rendered prices of drugs on the current NHIS drug list unrealistic in the market.
Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, who disclosed the information at a meeting with pharmaceutical companies in Abuja, acknowledged the role of pharmaceutical companies, particularly in regular research for improved drugs.
He said: “Pharmaceutical companies are responsible for research, clinical trial and new drugs in generic forms. Regrettably, people belief that cheap things are of low quality, and that is the driving mentality that created the distortion and misleading comments about drugs that are used under NHIS.
“We always encourage the use of generic drugs over brand-named drugs to help it live up to its mandate of providing easy healthcare services to Nigerians at an affordable cost.
Minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said in his remarks, that Federal Government was aware of that conflict between enrollees and their providers under NHIS as regards quality and availability of prescribed drugs.
He confirmed that Government was working assiduously to solve the identified problem, urging the pharmaceutical companies to give full attention to critical issues of financing for drugs and products, in the course of your conversations.
“This is because of the pressing need to ensure that cost of production and supply of drugs is within reach, as that will defeat the whole essence of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”