By Daniel Ayantoye
Patients have continued to lament what they described exorbitant cost of drugs at the Kwara State Civil Service Hospital pharmacy.
Some of the patients who spoke with National Pilot in separate interviews at the weekend, disclosed that drugs purchased outside the premises of the hospital are cheaper.
A patient who identified himself as Alfa Wasiu told this medium that he visited the hospital with his child for treatment but was surprised when asked to pay N800 for a drug sold for N480 at other medicine outlets.
“I was given three drugs; Ofloxacin, Antallergle and Enythromycin to purchase at the hospital pharmacy, but I was told they only have Antallergle at a cost of N800 but when I visited a pharmacy outside the hospital premises, I bought the same drug for N480,” he divulged.
Another patient, Oluwatoyin Idowu said since he has been visiting the facility, he preferred purchasing at other pharmacies due to the exorbitant cost of drugs.
“It is true that the cost of drugs here is too high and each time the doctor prescribes a drug for me, I normally buy outside the clinic.”
A pharmacist at GRA Ilorin, who spoke under condition of anonymity, informed this medium that the issue of exorbitant cost of drugs and service have been a long time practice at the hospital.
“Sometimes you wonder if the clinic and the pharmacy are not being controlled by the state government. There was a time we had no drugs in the pharmacy and we sent someone there but the price quoted was totally different from what I expected,” he said.
When contacted, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Atolagbe Alege said he was not aware of any such report but assured that he was going to investigate and address the issue.
“I am yet to receive any such report. The door of my office is open to anyone who has any complain about any of our facilities.
“Well I will still verify and see to it,” he stated.
