APC chieftain asks Tinubu to enforce drug price order, hails dialysis subsidy

Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the strict enforcement of his executive order aimed at reducing the cost of essential drugs and medical equipment in Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye noted that despite the presidential directive issued in June 2024 to ease the financial burden on patients, prices of many life-saving medicines remain prohibitively high.

The former lawmaker, who served as a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council, explained that the order provides for zero tariffs, excise duties, and VAT on specific machinery, equipment, and raw materials to lower production costs and strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

However, he lamented that the directive has yet to produce the desired effect, even though the Nigeria Customs Service announced on March 26, 2025, that it had commenced its implementation.

“Despite the order, the prices of critical drugs such as insulin, Metformin, and Exforge remain extremely high. Although there has been a slight drop in the prices of some medicines like Augmentin and Ventolin inhalers, the cost of many other essential drugs is still beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians,” Oyintiloye said.

He urged the president to take urgent steps to ensure full compliance with the executive order to help local manufacturers cut costs and make essential drugs affordable.

“The president has demonstrated strong commitment to healthcare delivery, but I want to appeal to him to see to the full implementation of his directive on drug prices for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he said.

Oyintiloye also commended Tinubu for approving a subsidy on kidney dialysis sessions in federal hospitals, describing the move as a major relief for patients with kidney disease.

By reducing the cost of dialysis from an average of ₦50,000 per session to ₦12,000, he noted, the president’s intervention would significantly ease the financial strain on many families.

“This subsidy reflects President Tinubu’s passion for the well-being of Nigerians. It is a laudable initiative that will save lives. Nigerians should reciprocate this gesture by supporting him beyond his current tenure,” Oyintiloye added.