President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed the release of N100bn to health care investors and indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers as an intervention by the federal government to expand their capital base and boost local production of medicines and medical consumables.
This was disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting between the new executives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the president.
He said, the loan would be facilitated through the Central Bank of Nigeria to support the private pharmaceutical sector.
Speaking on brain drain in the health sector, Buhari said he had directed the Minister of Health to look into ways of turning “brain drain” to “brain gain” by engaging top Nigerian medical experts in the diaspora in knowledge and skills repatriation.
The President extended a congratulatory message to a former president of the body Osahon Enabulele, president-elect of the World Medical Association, the first Nigerian to hold the position, he expressed confidence in Enabulele towards improving health care delivery in Nigeria and lower income countries.
NMA President Uche Rowland Ojinmah asked Buhari to ensure full and appropriate implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority Act, provision of “adequate work equipment, conducive work environment and necessary budget support as well as elongation of the retirement age for medical consultants to 70 years and 65 years for non-consultant doctors and other healthcare workers.
GLOBETELLY 