Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected global health and other issues including medicines pricing which in turn affects access to medicines. In Nigeria, many essential medicines and commodities rumored to provide preventive/curative effects on COVID-19 were affected by significant price increase. Hence, this study assessed the effects of the pandemic on price of pharmaceuticals and the implications on access to medicines.

Methods

Descriptive survey was used to assess the effects of the pandemic on price of certain medications in 170 community and retail pharmacies in Abuja Nigeria. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for data analysis.

Results

All community pharmacies assessed reported increase in price of some medications rumored to be effective against COVID-19 especially Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Vitamin C and Zinc. As much as 500% increase in cost of these medications and face masks was reported during the first lockdown period. All facilities reported that price hikes affected other essential medicines like antimalarials. All facilities reported that price increase has persisted.

Conclusions

The pandemic led to increase in price of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria and this has implications for health coverage and affordability of medicines. This fosters inequities in access to medicines and have significant pharmacoeconomic implications for millions of Nigerians, majority of whom pay out of pocket for their health and medicines needs. This is further worsened by a paucity of price regulation and monitoring mechanisms. Considering measures for better pricing policy and regulation, strengthening supply chains, and creating buffers for possible future pandemics/epidemics is key to ensuring that vulnerable populations are not disenfranchised from accessing essential medicines. Pharmacoeconomic institutions like ISPOR should consider pharmacoeconomic capacity building in LMICs to enhance the research-to-policy process and engage with government and relevant stakeholders to build pharmacoeconomic stability and pricing regulatory mechanisms thus improving access to medicines and universal health coverage.