Oluwanifemi Ojo
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has said the crisis caused by naira scarcity may reduce Nigerians’ life expectancy that was estimated as 53.
The society’s president, Professor Cyril Usifo said this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He added that scarcity of naira and its economic implications may increase the rate of medical ailments and consequently mortality rises.
Part of the statements that were issued by the society’s president read, “The PSN has observed with concern the paralysing and suffocating impasse that has accompanied the CBN driven naira design.
“When this is added to the unduly long week of prevailing fuel scarcity, then it becomes all too obvious that these forces are conspiring to further reduce the unacceptable life expectancy of the Nigerian citizens put at 53.
“As it stands today, the economy appears to be grinding to a halt with the full potentials of a meteoric rise in cases of morbidity and mortality because disease progression remains a major risk factor in a population where the less privileged who relies on out of pocket expenses to access healthcare is denied access to cash.
“This certainly makes a huge number of Nigerians vulnerable to death if this unhealthy scenario remains unchecked.
“For a country where a substantial majority relies on subsistence living because they thrive and live on daily earnings as artisans, market men and women, okada riders, bus drivers and so on, it is only a matter of time that the country might reap the consequences of its negligence of the health of the citizenry.”
He emphasised on the government agencies having one voice to reduce the complications that have resulted from different orders given to Nigerians.
In Usifo’s words, “Government agencies at all levels need to be called in order to desist from complicating the already chaotic situation. In Kano State, the government is already threatening to revoke the C of O of banks that refuse to collect the old naira notes.”
He also emphasised that, “All government hospitals should be compelled to initiate treatments especially in the accident and emergency units and in-patients departments while acceptable payment modalities are being sorted.”
The PSN’s president had urged pharmaceutical practitioners to accept the old note as the CBN is willing to receive it.
According to him, “In instances where the last resort borders on collection of the old naira notes, we enjoin Pharmacy practitioners to collect such since we are assured the Apex bank will accept the old notes and credit our account balances.”
He then admonished commercial banks to advance in their technologies as the naira scarcity situation at hand requires modern technology solutions.
In his words, “The banks should be mandated to upgrade their IT infrastructure to leverage modern technology (Cloud and 5G) which are available already in Nigeria.
“The PSN assures consumers of health that pharmacists shall continue to stand with them as we continue to facilitate the manufacturing of essential drugs in the factories and making them available at accessible pharmacies at affordable prices in line with the tenets of the National Drug Policy, ” Usifo admonished.
