The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Health Institutions to investigate the collapse of the Drugs Revolving Funds scheme, which has left federal health institutions owing pharmaceutical companies a total of N48 billion.
This decision came after a motion was jointly sponsored by Hon. Adedayo Samuel Adesola (APC, Lagos), Hon. Amos Magaji Gwamna (PDP, Kaduna), and Hon. Regina Akume (APC, Benue) during Wednesday’s plenary session.
Adesola, while presenting the motion, highlighted that the Drugs Revolving Funds scheme was initially successful but has been mismanaged by hospital administrations. This mismanagement has led to pharmaceutical firms being owed “N18 billion in 2021 and N30 billion in 2023.”
The existence of the Fund serves as a National Contingency Plan to address the issue of out-of-stock drugs in public pharmacy departments and ensure that Federal Health Institutions have sufficient essential drugs for medically challenged Nigerians.
Expressing concern, Adesola emphasized that the “commendable initiative has been compromised over time due to the accumulation of unpaid supplies from pharmaceutical firms, resulting in the eventual collapse of the scheme.”
He also mentioned that the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has called for a probe into the activities of the National Hospital, Igbobi, to revive the scheme.
Adesola concluded by stating: “Unless the collapse of the drug revolving fund is addressed, as a matter of urgency, further supplies of these essential drugs to Federal Health Institutions will remain a pipedream, thereby increasing pressure on the already struggling healthcare system.”
Additionally, in response to a motion brought by Hon. Badau Yusuf from Kano State, the House urged for the immediate implementation of free cancer treatment in Nigeria under matters of urgent national importance.
Yusuf, in his argument, highlighted the alarming increase in the number of cancer patients in Nigeria, stressing the necessity for government intervention in their treatment.
He noted that a majority of these patients are low-income earners who require government support for treatment, calling for the establishment of a legal framework to enable the provision of free treatment to vulnerable individuals.
