Nigeria Says No More: Why We're Rejecting America's Health Deals

Photo: Developmentaid.org

The Real Gist: What's Happening with These Health Deals?

My people, let me break down something wey dey happen for our continent that many of us no dey hear about. Uncle Sam don dey come Africa with briefcase full of health deals, promising heaven and earth. But as our people talk, 'when white man bring kola nut for Igbo land, something dey fishy.'

Recently, countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa don start to dey question these so-called 'partnership agreements' wey America dey bring. And honestly, e make sense say we dey ask questions. After all, na our health system we dey talk about here.

How Nigeria Dey See This Whole Matter

For Nigeria, our government under President Bola Tinubu don make am clear say we no go just collect any deal wey America bring. Our Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, recently highlighted how some of these agreements dey favor American pharmaceutical companies more than our own people.

The main wahala be say these deals often come with conditions wey no make sense for us. For example:

• American companies go get exclusive rights to distribute certain medicines for Africa
• We go dey forced to buy medicines at prices wey American companies set
• Our local pharmaceutical companies go dey sidelined
• The research and development go happen for America, not for Nigeria

Oga, make I tell you wetin this mean for ordinary Nigerian. If you dey buy malaria medicine today and e cost N500, under some of these deals, the same medicine fit cost N2000 tomorrow because American company get monopoly.

The Local Healthcare Angle: Why E Matter for Us

Nigeria get plenty problems for our healthcare system - we sabi that one well well. Our hospitals no get enough equipment, our doctors dey japa, and ordinary people dey struggle to afford basic treatment. So when America come with promise of help, e dey tempting to just collect am.

But our leaders don finally realize say some of these 'help' na Greek gift. Companies like Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Fidson Healthcare, and May & Baker Nigeria wey don dey struggle to compete with foreign companies go suffer more if we just open door wide for American companies to dominate our market.

Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, before her death during the Ebola crisis, always talk about how we need to build our own healthcare capacity. Today, people like Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin (may his soul rest in peace) and current health experts dey echo the same message: we must develop our own healthcare infrastructure.

What Other African Countries Dey Do

Nigeria no dey alone for this matter oh. Countries like:

• Ghana - Don reject some pharmaceutical agreements wey go affect their local drug manufacturing
• Kenya - Dey renegotiate terms of health partnerships to favor local companies
• South Africa - Using their experience with HIV/AIDS drugs to push for better deals
• Rwanda - Insisting on technology transfer as part of any health agreement

These countries don learn from experience. Remember wetin happen during COVID-19? When palava start, na the countries wey get their own vaccine production capacity wey survive better.

The Economics of Healthcare Dependency

Make I paint picture for you. If Nigeria dey depend on America for 80% of our medicines and medical equipment, wetin go happen if relationship between both countries spoil? We go dey at their mercy completely.

Already, we dey import about $1.2 billion worth of pharmaceuticals every year. If we continue this way without building our own capacity, by 2030, we fit dey import $5 billion worth. That na serious money wey we fit use build our own factories and train our own people.

Companies like Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals and Chi Pharmaceuticals don show say we fit produce quality medicines locally. But dem need support from government, not competition from subsidized American companies.

What This Mean for Ordinary Nigerians

For you wey dey read this post, wetin this whole matter mean for your pocket and your health?

If Nigeria continue to dey reject unfavorable deals and focus on building local capacity, e mean say:

• Medicine prices fit become more affordable in the long run
• We go get better access to treatments wey dey designed for our specific health challenges
• More jobs go dey available for Nigerian pharmacists, researchers, and healthcare workers
• During health emergencies, we no go dey depend on other countries completely

The Way Forward

The solution no be to completely reject America or any foreign partner. Na to negotiate better deals wey go favor both sides. We need partnerships wey go help us build our own capacity, not deals wey go make us more dependent.

Our government need to continue supporting local pharmaceutical companies through tax incentives, research grants, and better policies. At the same time, we fit still partner with foreign countries on terms wey make sense for us.

As we dey move forward, make we no forget say health na wealth. Any deal wey no help us build stronger healthcare system for the long term no worth am, no matter how much money dem promise us upfront.

The billions wey dey on the table na tempting, but our future as independent nation wey fit take care of her people health needs na more important. That na why Nigeria and other African countries dey wise up to these one-sided deals.