The Chief Executive of the Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana, Anthony Ameka, says the high cost of medicine in the country ranks second in the world.
This he claims is due to the failure of government to pay pharmaceutical companies timely for medical supplies under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Mr Ameka said pharmaceutical companies are forced to borrow money from banks to settle manufacturers.
He said interest accrued on the loans are transferred to the cost of the medical supplies which lead to increased prices of medicines in Ghana.
He spoke on news and current affairs programme ‘Behind the News’ on GBC’s Uniiq FM.
The Administrator of the Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando in the Volta Region, Emmanuel Torde said health facilities in the municipality are facing challenges due to debt owed pharmaceutical companies.
He, therefore, appealed to the NHIS to settle the debt to enable the companies to continue to supply medicines.
