The Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Mr. Kwabena Asante Offei is appealing for an immediate reduction in the prices of medicines over the appreciation of the cedi so that the ordinary Ghanaian can afford it.
Speaking with Peace FM’s Gifty Akoto, the Society wants players in the pharmaceutical supply chain including; manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, suppliers and retailers to take urgent steps to reduce the prices of medicine to reflect the cedi’s improved performance against the major trading currencies.
“The PSGH has also taken note of high prices of medicines, despite the appreciation of the Cedi, although the original reason for the high prices was mainly due to the recent depreciation of the Cedi,” it also said in a statement.
The PSGH wishes to highlight that pharmaceutical business also provides an important social life-saving benefit.
Access to medicines and other medical products must therefore be of utmost priority at every point in time for all relevant stakeholders, it said.
He said persons living with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and other diseases who have to consume drugs everyday are finding difficulties in purchasing their drugs.
In addition, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana wants the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Ministry of Finance to urgently work together to ensure payment of arrears owed providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) so that providers can pay suppliers of pharmaceutical products.
APPEAL TO PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESSES TO URGENTLY REDUCE PRICES OF MEDICINES
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has observed the gradual appreciation of the Ghana Cedi against the major trading currencies. The PSGH has also taken note of high prices of medicines, despite the appreciation of the Cedi, although the original reason for the high prices was mainly due to the recent depreciation of the Cedi.
The PSGH wishes to highlight that pharmaceutical business also provides an important social life-saving benefit. Access to medicines and other medical products must therefore be of utmost priority at every point in time for all relevant stakeholders.
In view of the above:
1. The PSGH would like to call on all actors of the pharmaceutical supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, suppliers, and retailers to take urgent steps to reduce the prices of medicine to reflect the Cedi’s improved performance against the major trading currencies of the world.
2. The PSGH further calls on the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to urgently work together to ensure payment of arrears owed providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) so that providers in turn can pay their suppliers of pharmaceutical products. We believe this will also contribute further to the reduction in prices of medicines.
It is hoped that the above actions will go a long way to reduce the burden of medical care on Ghanaians.
Thank you.
Pharm. Samuel Kow Donkoh,
PRESIDENT PSGH
0244-858245, 055-075-1292, 020-8162909
Source: Peacefmonline