As part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians have access to affordable, safe and effective medicines, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 12 Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Drug Management Organisations (DMO) for the implementation of its Medicine Supply Initiative (MSI).
Lafiya360 reports that the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, in his remarks during the MoU signing ceremony in Abuja, stated that the medicine supply initiative will be in phases. It will however commence with 33 NHIA branded drugs, while other categories of drugs would be added to the list in the next phase.
He expressed optimism that the unprecedented event will crash the prices of drugs listed on NHIA by about 50 per cent, which support the country’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He said, “This initiative of branding NHIA medicines and other health products is to facilitate the supply of affordable, acceptable, accessible, available and quality medicines and other health products.
“The initiative is to enhance the production of high-quality medicines that will inspire the confidence of users. In order to bring this initiative to fruition on August 18, 2020, I inaugurated the medicines supply implementation Committee.”
He urged Nigerians not to entertain fear of the quality and efficacy of the customized drugs because the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is fully involved in the process to ensure that standards are not compromised.
He said, “With this activity we expect the production of these products at least in the next one month. This initiative is geared towards the strengthening of local pharmaceutical manufacturing, which will ultimately guarantee medicine security.
“This initiative will help to reduce the cost of medicines especially that of intravenous fluids which will reduce by as much as 50 per cent of current market price.”
The NHIA boss further disclosed that seven States, including Delta, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Osun and Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have been chosen for the pilot phase of implementation of the initiative.
He disclosed that the journey began in 2019 on his assumption of office and as part of his ‘Rebranding Agenda,’ stakeholders engagement was held with the pharmaceutical manufacturers and companies, with the aim of proffering solutions that would ensure eradication of out-of-stock syndrome.
Explaining Health that the engagement led to the inauguration of the NHIA Medicines Supply Committee on 19 February 2020, Prof. Sambo also revealed that the NHIAMSI Guidelines will be unveiled next Tuesday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He added, “The Committee submitted its report in June 2020 and adopted branding of NHIA medicines and other health products as the way to go in order to eradicate out-of-stock syndrome as well as ensuring the quality of its medicines. It also recommended the setting up of an implementation Committee to bring the initiative to fruition.
“A total of 44 submissions were received from Pharmaceutical Companies and DMOs. The submissions were scrutinized and synthesized by the selection Committee and 20 companies and 8 DMOs were selected to provide services for the initiative.
“Negotiations were held with the selected pharmaceutical companies and DMOs and after which negotiations, agreement was reached with 12 Pharmaceutical Companies and 8 DMOs.”
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), while expressing optimism that the NHIAMSI will help the country achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) coverage, however, appealed to the NHIA to patronize local manufacturers for the drugs they have capacity to produce.