By Hassan Zaggi
Pfizer and National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of improving patients’ access to innovative antibiotic.
The arrangement was an offshoot of the medicines supply initiative rolled out by the NHIA in October last year where a framework was developed to create an enabling environment for pharmaceutical companies to enter into partnership with the agency through an innovative cost-sharing mechanism.
This is to ensure the affordability of drugs for patients at treatment centres.
Speaking during the signing of the MoU in Abuja, Monday, the Director General of NHIA, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, explained that the partnership with Pfizer was a cost sharing arrangement to make its (Pfizer) brand of the Carbapenem (Meropenem) which is an antibiotic, more affordable to Nigerians.
Under this arrangement, he said, Pfizer will provide the molecules to NHIA at 50% of its cost.
He reiterated that: “With the signing into law of the NHIA Act 2022, we at NHIA have a mandate to ensure all Nigerians have financial access to quality health care.
“It is our hope that this collaboration will improve health outcomes, especially, for vulnerable Nigerians who hitherto may not be able to afford Meropenem and similar drugs.”
Represented by the General Manager Finance and Account, Mr. John Gboko, Prof. Sambo explained that: “Since 2019 we have introduced several reforms anchored on the three-point rebranding agenda: value reorientation, transparency and accountability, and accelerating the drive towards Universal Health Coverage
(UHC).
“The NHIA Medicines Supply Initiative (NMSI) is one of the major reforms we have introduced in order to ensure that medicines and other products are affordable, available, accessible, acceptability and of good quality for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“The NMSI has three main components: Drug Branding, Cost-Sharing and Innovative Financing. Under the Cost Sharing we are collaborating with various pharmaceutical companies to improve financial access to high cost/innovative medicines. Already some Nigerians are benefiting from this initiative at NHIA Accredited Pilot Centers across the country.”
On his part, Pfizer West Africa Country Manager, Olayinka Subair, noted that: “Pfizer’s partnership with National Health Insurance Agency is a significant and commendable milestone for infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship programs in Nigeria as it would address key affordability challenges that contribute to high morbidity and mortality in critical care.
“Accessibility and affordability of the right antibiotic when patients present to treatment centers could determine treatment outcomes and, ultimately, survival of patients. Similarly, limited options of antibiotics could lead to over-use of available antibiotics and consequently antimicrobial resistance.
“The partnership enables Pfizer, NHIA and healthcare institutions to engage in capability building initiatives that are designed to support the health insurance ecosystem.”
He expressed Pfizer’ gratitude for having the opportunity to put into reality the global vision of the company to reduce health care disparity between the rich and the poor irrespective of location globally and financial capacity to pay for the medicine.
