APC chieftain urges Tinubu to act on soaring drug prices

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to enforce his executive order on drug prices, lamenting that many life-saving medicines remain beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.

Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday, the former lawmaker noted that although the President issued the order in June 2024 to remove tariffs, excise duties, and VAT on specified machinery, equipment, and raw materials, the impact has yet to yield the desired results.

Oyintiloye recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service announced in March this year that implementation had begun, but stressed that critical drugs such as insulin, Metformin, and Exforge remain exorbitantly priced.

He acknowledged that while prices of medicines such as Augmentin and Ventolin inhalers have slightly dropped, many other essential drugs are still sold at very high rates.

The APC chieftain noted that Nigerians are still struggling to cope with the surge in drug prices, despite government efforts to ease access.

According to him, “I want to appeal to the President to see to the implementation of his executive order on drug prices for the benefit of Nigerians. There is no doubt that the President is doing everything within his power to provide quality health care delivery, and I am optimistic that he will see to this.”

Oyintiloye also commended President Tinubu for subsidising kidney dialysis in federal hospitals, describing the slash in cost from an average of ₦50,000 to ₦12,000 per session as a lifeline for patients battling kidney disease.

He described the subsidy as a reflection of President Tinubu’s commitment to quality healthcare and urged Nigerians to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the administration beyond its current tenure.