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…Task States on technology to improve health indices

By Chioma Obinna

Stakeholders in the country’s health sector have said that ensuring access to affordable health consumables at the health facilities and achieving optimal quantities of life-saving commodities available at warehouses across the States remains a pain point in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

The stakeholders who spoke at the leadership breakfast meeting convened by the Commissioner for Health, Kaduna State, Dr. Amina Mohammed Baloni in Lagos also noted the need to strengthen the supply chain system, and implement Scale-up Plan for Primary Health Cares, PHCs, on the One Public Health Supply Chain Network operation.

The meeting was an opportunity to showcase the current Public-Private Partnerships, PPP, between the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the Pharma Group as well as provide an opportunity for leadership from both the Public and Private Sector to share learnings, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to improve the availability of health commodities at the last mile across States.

The Breakfast Meeting, organised by the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) hosted the Commissioners for Health from several states, Executive Secretaries of State Drug Management Agencies, CEOs of indigenous pharmaceutical companies, private sector stakeholders, and representatives from development partners including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), USAID and IFC/World Bank.

In her submission, Dr. Amina Mohammed Baloni stated that due to the PPP between the State and the local pharma companies facilitated by ARC_ESM, Kaduna State has been able to increase the availability of essential medicines and strengthen the supply chain systems in the state. Baloni highlighted the need for States to leverage technology and other innovations (including drone technology) to address challenges with last-mile distribution, particularly; to hard-to-reach areas due to difficult terrains or insecurity eliminating delays in delivery of lifesaving commodities as well as ensuring availability that would ultimately improve the key health indices in the state.

On his part, the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, noted that since the initial PPP was signed between Yobe State and the local pharmaceutical companies in 2020, more states in the country are adopting the model to strengthen their supply chain and close the gap in access to medicines. For instance, Kaduna State can achieve direct access to local manufacturers and shared accountability for medicine quality.

The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Sokoto and Nasarawa State Drug Management Agencies and the Local Pharma Manufacturers under PMG-MAN.

Notable dignitaries that were at the event include the Director, Department of Food and Drugs Services, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) – Pharm. Olubunmi Aribeana; the Honorable Commissioners for Health of the following states – Lagos, Yobe, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Kano, Cross River, Ogun, Bauchi, Gombe, and Borno; the CEOs of Juhel Nigeria Limited, SKG Pharma Nigeria Limited, Orfema Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Bond Chemicals Industries Ltd, Bentos Pharmaceuticals, Phamatex Pharmaceuticals, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals, Nemel Pharmaceuticals; CEO LifeBank Technology and Logistics Services Limited; Senior Health Specialist at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group – Dr Olumide Okunola.