President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Government has released N100bn to indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare investors as loans to expand their capital base and boost local production of medicines and medical consumables.

He said this Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the new executive members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

He said the loan was extended through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s support to 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.  

He congratulated a former president of the body, Osahon Enabulele, president-elect of the World Medical Association, the first Nigerian to hold the position, expressing hope that Enabulele would use his position to support improvement in 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.

Daily Trust