Kaduna Partners Local Firms for Supply of Essential Medicines

Olaoluwakitan Babatunde

The Kaduna State Government through the Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) has signed a final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local pharmaceutical companies under the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), to ensure the supply of quality and affordable essential medicines to the citizens of the State.

The signing of the MoU for this Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was concluded on Thursday, October 7, 2021, at the manufacturing facility of Fidson Healthcare Plc, located in Ota, Ogun State. The ceremony was followed by a tour of the facility.

The first MoU signing ceremony took place on Thursday, September 23, 2021, during the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADINVEST), one of the key investment forums where investors showcase and promote their major investments in Africa towards a sustainable knowledge-based economy.

The Kaduna State Government, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed Baloni, expressed her gratitude to the local pharmaceutical companies for trusting the government and committing to support the vision of the state government.

She was supported by the Executive Secretary of KADHSMA, Pharm Aisha Tukur, who reassured the pharmaceutical companies that the agency will ensure it fulfils its financial obligations as expressed in the MoU.

The pharmaceutical companies represented by the chairman of the PMG-MAN, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, appreciated the Kaduna State Government for keying into the partnership initiative, emphasizing the commitment of the pharma companies to addressing the health agenda of the country, applauded the State government for adopting the PPP model for successful patronage of the Local Pharma Companies and commended the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) for “midwifing” the partnership.

Through this initiative with the local pharmaceutical companies to gain access to a steady supply of high-quality and affordable health commodities, the Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency aims to increase access to high-quality health services for its citizens by ensuring the constant availability of basic health care commodities across all of its health facilities. The distribution of these commodities to the health facilities across the State will be channelled through a distribution network to be handled by KADHSMA.

This partnership was brokered by the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) who will continue to support the Pharma Companies and the Kaduna State Government by ensuring both parties adhere to the terms of the MoU.

The MoU signing was witnessed by the CEO, ARC_ESM, Azuka Okeke; the Executive Secretary of KADIPA, Hajia Umma Aboki; the Executive Secretary of PMG-MAN, Pharm Frank Mounemeh; representatives of donor agencies and other representatives from the local pharmaceutical companies involved in the partnership – Fidson Health Plc, Juhel Nigeria Limited, Orfema Pharmaceutical Industry Limited, Bond Chemical Industries Limited and Nemel Pharmaceuticals Ltd.