Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
Sokoto State government has procured 1.5 million anti malaria drugs for onward distribution to the hospitals and health centres across the state.
The state government through the State Malaria Elimination Agency received about 1.5M doses of quality assured Malaria medicines and over 50,000 units of Insecticide treated mosquito nets for free distribution to public health facilities across the 23 LGAs.
In his remarks while receiving the consignment at the State central Medical stores, the State Director Pharmaceutical services, Pharm Muhd Musa Hamisu, commended the State Government for being the only State with an Agency for Malaria and also the first State in the country to purchase a large quantities of Malaria commodities for distribution free of charge to our people, from a W.H.O accredited pharmacutical industry (EMZOR Pharmacutical LTD).
Also speaking, the state Commissioner of health, Dr Muhammed Ali Inname, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of health Alh Abubakar Muh’d, thanked the management of EMZOR Pharmacutical LTD for making all the quantities requested within the stipulated interval of the contract.
The commissioner also commended the efforts of the state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his passion for health and his commitment towards providing free Malaria and health care intervention in the State.
The Commissioner also assured of the continue support of the Ministry in ensuring commodities availability across all public health facilities in the State.
He also warns that, the State will take a decessive action on anyone caught diverting, pilferage or collecting money from patients for all free commodities delivered to facilities.
Responding on behalf of the Agency, the Director General of the State Malaria Elimination Agency, Muslim Adamu Gobir, recalled that, the State commitee were at various Pharmaceutical companies in Lagos before it accepted EMZOR Pharmacutical LTD due to its reputation and quality, to supply the Malaria commodities for the state.
“These medicines are special formulations manufactured and designed for sokoto state government which is customized with “Not for sale inscription” for easy identification and tracking.
He further disclosed that the supply includes doses for all category of patients, pregnant women and mosquito nets for distribution to children who completed immunization and pregnant women during their ANC visits.
He said the gesture is part of commitment fulfilled by the state by procuring Malaria commodities and making available all logistics cost for distribution across the 23 LGAs.
The DG however call on the partners supporting the State to fulfill their own part of the support to achieve a wider coverage of Malaria services.
He also urged the community leaders and health facilities in-charges to ensure Malaria commodities are given free of charge to beneficiaries and ensure accountability of the commodities to be delivered to facilities.
The DG directed the State LMCU coordinator Pharm Bilyaminu Bello Gobirawa to come up with the distribution, routing plan and schedule for immediate commencement of deliveries to all supported facilities in the State.
