Ogun, Partners FG On Effective Drug Distribution

The Ogun state, in collaboration with the Federal Government, are set to improve supply, distribution, and management of drugs in order to guide against expiration, before they reach the end users.

This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Health Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, while hosting members of the National Product Supply Chain Management, Programme (NPSCMP), Department of Food & Drugs Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, recently at his office in Abeokuta.

The Commissioner said the collaboration with relevant stakeholders, would further strengthen human capacity development for the Public Health sector, commodities management in Nigeria.

Ipaye said the state is always ready to partner with the Federal Government, particularly in areas that have to do with the health of the people.

He added that already, they had been efficient in the areas of distribution and management of drugs to all health care facilities.

Speaking earlier, the Team Leader for NPSCMP, Mrs Abdulhameed Wosilat, said the aim of the partnership was to coordinate all health commodities at the Federal level, through an effective integrated supply chain in Nigeria.

She added that it would also improve patients access to availability of drugs, as well as efficient last minute delivery of all other health commodities across the country.

Wosilat, then revealed that currently, the programme is running effectively in 14 states.

According to her, the initiative would also guide the end users, particularly those in the rural areas of the country, against the intake of expired drugs.

Also in his address, the Director, Pharmaceutical Department, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Olufemi Fafiolu, said the state would only need to key in to the programme.

Describing it is “laudable”, he says it would eradicate stock out, eradicate drugs being expired, ensure optimum storage and good condition of drugs, strengthen the logistic supply system of the state, as well as reduce the cost of destroying expired drugs across the Country.