After a two-day workshop to review and update the Essential Medicines List (EML) for adults and children in Bauchi State, aimed at effective and efficient healthcare service delivery, Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) have been included in the list.
The workshop, organised by Alive and Thrive FHI360 in collaboration with the Bauchi State Government through the Ministry of Health, was attended by officials of all relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as other stakeholders.
Speaking to journalists after the workshop, the Managing Director of the State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency (DMMA), Pharmacist Abdukadir Ahmed, commended Alive and Thrive FHI360 for ensuring the successful execution of the review.
The MD recalled that Bauchi State adopted the EML in 2013, but it was not reviewed until 2023, which he described as an unnecessarily long period, given the national guidelines.
Abdukadir Ahmed, who also serves as the Chairman of the Essential Medicines List Review Committee, explained that the EML is a document developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1977 for adoption by nations and organisations, and that Nigeria has long since adopted it.
He assured that, following the current review, the state will adhere to national directives and carry out future reviews every two or three years.
He further stated that, in addition to MMS, other new medicines deemed essential and useful have been added to the list, pledging that all the reviewed medicines will be made available across the state’s health facilities.
According to him, “We know that Nutrition International is piloting research in Dass, Ganjuwa, and Giade Local Government Areas of the state. The MMS has already been included in the EML and is available in the state’s drug warehouse.”
The MD added that Alive and Thrive has already taken up the challenge posed by the pilot research being carried out by Nutrition International, and the state now has more than 200,000 doses of MMS in its warehouse, ready to be distributed to the remaining local government areas.
“If you were here yesterday, the Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, stated that it is essentially a directive that all of us must include it in the state budget,” he added.
He emphasised that “All the health-related MDAs must pool resources together to ensure the sustainable supply of MMS at all times and across all facilities.”
He also assured that stronger mechanisms have been established to ensure the availability of all medicines listed in the EML across the approximately 1,000 public health facilities in the state.
The MD highlighted that the drug warehouse is fully stocked and that committees have been put in place to prevent any potential diversion of medicines from the health facilities.
According to him, “We have implemented a system, with a steering committee headed by the Commissioner of Health, to address such issues.”
The workshop featured participants including gynaecologists, dietitians, pharmacists, midwives, nurses, doctors, and officials from the Primary Healthcare Development Board and the Ministry of Health, among others.
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