Naira Redesign, Fuel Crises Worsening Life Expectancy In Nigeria – PSN

Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has raised concern over what it described as the paralysing and suffocating impasse that has accompanied the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) driven naira redesign programme.

PSN, in a statement signed by its president, Prof Cyril Usifoh, yesterday said when this is added to the unduly long week of fuel scarcity, it becomes obvious that these forces are conspiring to further reduce the unacceptable life expectancy of the Nigerian citizens put at 53.

“We note with consternation that even federal government apparatus and institutions not only reject the old naira notes but insist on payment of services through confirmed transfer services or payments with bank tellers into their accounts.

“Even the Judiciary commonly perceived as the hope of the common man has not aligned with people who seek justice in the circumstance because most of the courts in the land have stopped collecting old naira notes from people gearing to file processes in court registries.

“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,” he said.

Usifoh worries that this certainly makes a huge quantum of Nigerians vulnerable to death if the unhealthy scenario remains unchecked.

He, therefore, urged the government at all levels to initiate action in the reflected areas which includes: “The CBN must come up with a specific position to guide the banks in view of the Supreme Court’s declaration on the naira design on Wednesday February 8, 2023.

“Government agencies at all levels need to be called to 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.

“All government hospitals should be compelled to initiate treatments especially in the Accident and Emergency Units and In-Patients department while acceptable payment modalities are being sorted.”

The PSN has also reiterated its call for the federal and state governments to see the need to review the operational modalities of Social Health Insurance in the country particularly to ensure that all endeavours are inclined on the path of lawful pillars in the plan of action.

“The PSN reiterates, for the umpteenth time, that the NHIA must conform with lawful payment mechanism and delineate facilities that qualify to be gatekeepers or primary providers which are eligible for capitation payments rather the indiscriminate capitation that is presently extended to secondary and tertiary facilities which remains a misnomer.

“The PSN in particular draws the attention of the NHIA secretariat to salient provisions of the PCN Act 2022 which forbids the dispensing, sales and stocking of drugs in premises not registered by the PCN (Lack of Superintendent Pharmacist),” it stated.