The Nigerian Health Commissioners Forum (NHCF) has asked more states in the country to set up drug management agencies. They believe this will help lower the cost of medicines.
This request was included in a statement signed by the NHCF Chairman, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, and the Secretary, Dr. Amina El-Imam. The statement was released after their second meeting of the year in Lagos.
The commissioners said that if states have these agencies, they can buy drugs together in bulk. This will make it easier to supply affordable medicines to wholesalers and retailers.
The statement explained that buying drugs in large quantities helps states get high-quality medicines at cheaper prices and in good time. It also saves money.
The commissioners also raised concerns about how slow it is for states to join the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS). They believe the requirements for joining are too difficult.
They agreed to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee to make the approval process faster.
The commissioners said the programme is important because it can help more Nigerians get emergency medical care when they need it.
They also said they would continue working with NEMSAS, private hospitals, and other partners to fully implement the programme across the country.
The commissioners praised the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for completing a health evaluation in 13 states. They encouraged the agency to do the same in the remaining states.
The NHCF said states need to set up emergency funds for health and make sure this money is not taken back at the end of the year.
They said states should be ready to stop, detect, and manage disease outbreaks.
They urged all states to report any disease outbreaks to the NCDC immediately.
The NHCF said all health centres, whether government or privately owned, should work with the state ministries of health to improve how quickly they find and respond to health problems.
They also said that local governments should have their own emergency health centres, in addition to the isolation centres that states already have.
The commissioners praised President Bola Tinubu’s government for its work in improving primary health care through funding and programmes like the Immunisation Plus and Malaria Programme.
The statement also mentioned that the NHCF reviewed data from a national health campaign called ‘Project Ten Million’ held last year. The campaign tested millions of adults for high blood pressure and diabetes.
The commissioners said they are looking at how to use this health data to improve Nigeria’s fight against long-term illnesses. They want to improve tracking of these diseases and work better with other sectors.
They also noted improvements in health services, like more pregnant women getting proper malaria treatment, more babies being delivered by trained professionals, and better care for children with diarrhoea.
They promised to support Nigeria’s plan to host the 5th Global Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2026.
They believe this event will help Nigeria and other countries tackle the problem of drug resistance.
Finally, the commissioners repeated their promise to keep working to improve health for all Nigerians.
