Oyintiloye to Tinubu: Ensure Nigerians benefit from medical products price reduction order

Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has urged President Bola Tinubu to “direct full enforcement of the executive order” on the reduction in prices of essential medical consumables and machines in the country.

Speaking on Sunday in Osogbo, Osun’s capital, Oyintiloye said despite the president’s executive order last June, many life-saving medications are still highly priced.

The order was aimed at encouraging medical industrialisation, reducing costs of medical products through import substitution,  creating and retaining economic value, and enabling job creation in the healthcare value chain.

In March, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) began the implementation of zero tax on imported pharmaceutical inputs for two years.

Oyintiloye said the efforts have yet to yield results.

“I want to appeal to the president to see to the implementation of his executive order on drug prices for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.

“There is no doubt that the president is doing everything within his power to provide quality health care delivery to Nigerians.

“And I am optimistic that he will see to this.”

The former lawmaker also commended the president for subsidising the cost of kidney dialysis in federal hospitals across Nigeria.

“It shows that the president is a man who is passionate about the well-being of Nigerians,” he said.

Oyintiloye urged Nigerians to “reciprocate the gesture” by supporting Tinubu beyond his current tenure of office.