The Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has asked the government to evaluate the costs of the National Health Insurance Medicine Lists.

The association expressed regret over the country's rising drug prices in a press release.

GHOSPA noted that the cost of medicines has more than doubled in the past few months.

For instance, it says “a tablet of Paracetamol, which used to cost 0.05 Ghana Cedis, is now 0.21 GHS on the market, whilst the NHIS price is currently set at 0.09 GHS.”

“A lot of the medicines on the NHIS Medicines List are lagging by an average of 100% of current market prices,” part of the statement read.

The current economic downturn, according to the association, is to blame for the high cost of medicines and pleaded with the government to heed their demands and increase the prices of NHIA medications.

In the event that the government fails to meet their demands, GHOSPA has stated that it will adopt a Cash and Carry regime for the supply of pharmaceutical products to the government and other institutions.

“We are not living in normal times, and therefore, the Authority must act as such. Depart from the usual practice of waiting for 1-year or more before updating the NHIS Medicines List.”

Source: The Independent Ghana