The Kogi government, on Wednesday, distributed essential drugs and other medical consumables to state-owned medical facilities.
The Kogi state drugs and medical supply management agency (KSDMSMA) said that the distribution was the last of the quarterly distribution of medical consumables to the zonal, general and comprehensive health centres.
The agency also said that the exercise cut across the three senatorial districts of the state.
In an interview with newsmen at the distribution center in Lokoja, the executive secretary of the agency, Mr. Mahmoud Ozigi, said the agency made improvement on the essential drug revolving fund (EDRF).
Ozigi, a pharmacist, also said that the agency had come up with a quarterly scheme that ensured a constant and affordable supply of drugs and other medical consumables to government-owned medical facilities in the state.
According to him, tablets, capsules, injections, infusions, syrups, suspension, laboratory reagents, mortuary needs, medical and surgical consumables and X-ray items, worth hundreds of millions of naira, were part of the supplied consumables.
“The coming of the KSDMSA has improved healthcare delivery in the state by making drugs available to health facilities,” Ozigi said.
He said that the vandalism of the essential drugs store during the ENDSARS protest retarded the growth and development of the central medical store in the state.
He said: “Our main objective as an agency is to make drugs and consumables available, accessible and affordable to all health facilities in the state.
“This we are determined to do by the special grace of God.
“As part of our reform in the agency, we have established quality control unit to assess the quality of reagents before their distribution to health facilities.
“We intend to pursue a policy of continuous engagement with critical stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry.
“This is to ensure the sustainability of drugs and consumables procurement and distribution in the state.
“We plan to have over 60 companies duly registered with bureau of public procurement doing business with us in the long run,” Ozigi said.
He appealed to the state government to inject more funds into the new agency for optimum productivity in order to grow into a strong pharmaceutical agency.
He appealed to the government to construct a befitting office complex for the agency or undertake a complete overhaul of the existing structure.
Ozigi expressed confidence in the capability of the Kogi governor-elect, Usman Ododo, to consolidate on the achievements of gov. Yahaya Bello, especially in the health sector.
The head of the pharmacy unit, Idah zonal hospital, Mr. Aduku Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the other hospital managements, commended the state government for the gesture.
Mohammed promised that the commodities would be effectively utilized for the targeted consumers at affordable rate.
