…as average diabetes patient spends over N100,000 monthly

The National Coordinator of Persons Living with Diabetes, Benard Enyia, has raised alarm over price surge of insulin and other medications for diabetes patients.

According to Benard Enyia, Nigerians with diabetes are struggling to afford insulin due to weekly price hikes.

“This situation has forced many to turn to cheaper alternatives like traditional herbs, rationing of doses or forgoing medications completely,” he said.

Related News

He lamented that insulin that used to sell for N4,000 two years ago now sells for N25, 000. Those of us who consume three bottles in a month spend nothing less than N75,000. Similarly, the insulin syringe that used to sell for N50 now sells for N600, and two are used per day making a total of N1,200, and when you times this by 30 days you spend N36,000.

It has become obvious that an average diabetes patient spends over N100,000 monthly on injection, which is above the N70,000 minimum wage, he said, lamenting that the Cross River State situation for over a decade has prioritized communicable diseases at the expense of non-communicable diseases.

He said this is evident in the absence of non budgetary provision on this ravaging health epidemic, saying suffice it to say that there is no reliable data on morbidity and mortality of diabetes sufferers.