The costing is abysmally low. We cannot price the health of the public service and the private sector together. The private sector has taxes and overhead costs to settle, while government cannot pay tax to itself,” he said.

Akintade also urged state government to make available a health bank to furnish and service health facilities in the state.

“Quality health delivery comes with a price. There must also be clarity and transparency in the system. We do not have a real system in the health sector and that is one of the problems of the health insurance scheme,” he added.

The National Chairman, AHAPN, Dr Kingsley Amibor, in a statement issued on Tuesday, called for industrial harmony in the health sector.

“We are collaborating with our parent body, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, regulatory agencies like the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, as well as sister associations, such as the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, the Nigerian Association of Industrial Pharmacists, the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists in Academia and several others to achieve our corporate goals.

“We are not at loggerheads with the government. We are ready to partner with any and all groups, including the media, that will assist us to achieve our goals.

“Based on the need to maintain transparency and integrity at all times, we did assure our members of an open door policy with accountability as our watchword.

He added that the association’s efforts at integrating its members under one umbrella were also yielding positive results.

source: Punch