A recent survey by SBM Intelligence uncovers a dire situation in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, with the cost of essential drugs like Ampiclox skyrocketing amid economic challenges.
The survey, titled ‘Paying The Price on Health,’ compares pharmaceutical prices from 2019 to November 20, 2023, painting a grim picture of the escalating crisis.
Key findings include staggering price hikes in antibiotics like Beecham Ampiclox, soaring from N750 to a jaw-dropping N9,000, and Augmentin leaping from N4,000 to an alarming N26,000. Even commonplace medicines witness exorbitant spikes, with paracetamol surging from N40 to N150.
The report highlights the exit of pharmaceutical giants, GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi, from the Nigerian market, exacerbating the situation. Professor Boladele Silva from the University of Lagos emphasizes the vulnerability of the country’s pharmaceutical industry to foreign exchange volatility. “The active pharmaceutical ingredients…are imported. That makes them very vulnerable to economic shocks,” warns Silva.
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As prices surge, patients are grappling with the dire consequences. Silva notes, “The rising cost of drugs in Nigeria is forcing patients to skip doses or forget treatment altogether.” SBM Intelligence issues a stark warning that this crisis could lead to drug resistance, complicating infections’ treatment and worsening chronic conditions, ultimately increasing morbidity and mortality. #Ampiclox