Ekiti govt promises quality, affordable drugs for residents, partners private firms

In a bid to guarantee quality and affordable drugs for residents of the state, the Ekiti State government at the weekend signed Memorandum of Understanding with two medical private firms to achieve the objectives.

The firms are the pharmaceutical manufacturer group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Africa Resource Centre for Excellence in Supply Chain management.

Signing the agreement in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, explained that the partnership among PMG-MAN, ARC-ESM and the government would ensure supply and circulation of high-quality drugs in the state at affordable prices for the people.

The commissioner noted that the state Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency is driving the campaign to institute a financially self-sustaining drug supply programme that would strengthen the procurement, storage and distribution of medical consumables and laboratory supplies within the state.

Filani said the partnership would also perfect the state’s goal of becoming a regional hub for quality healthcare delivery, by allowing the state to attract a diverse set of private sector partners who can catalyze the health consumer market and improve health-seeking behaviour.

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According to him,  partnering with local pharmaceutical companies to obtain exclusive supply of health commodities, will ensure that people living in Ekiti have access to quality and affordable drugs and consumables and guarantees new jobs across the state in line with the Fayemi-led administration’s agenda.

“More broadly, by engaging directly with manufacturers, Ekiti State health sector has opened a new vista of engagement that opens up the state’s economy, which other sectors can tap into.”

He expressed the commitment of the present administration in the state under the leadership of Dr Kayode Fayemi to initiate policies and programmes that would enhance the good health conditions of the people and grow the state’s economy.

“We want our people to be healthy for them to be active and productive which will, in turn, help the economy because it is the people that are healthy that can work and earn a living,” Oyebanji said.

In his remark, Chairman Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr Fidelis Ayebae said partnering local pharmaceutical companies would help in checkmating the influx of fake and substandard drugs in the country, urging other states to take a clue from the Ekiti government’s initiative.

He added that the collaboration would help the local manufacturers to grow the economy and provide quality drugs to people at cheaper prices compared to foreign products.

He said: “The partnership will help us at this difficult period economically, to retain our workers and keep them on the job. When we have this kind of assured patronage it ensures that we have continuity on the business, which will, in turn, help our economy.”

On her part, the chief executive officer of ARC-ESM, Azuka Okeke, while commending the state government for what she described as a bold step for not relying on donors, noted that the collaboration would strengthen the state’s drug management agency to control and regulate drugs circulation in Ekiti.

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Ekiti govt promises quality, affordable drugs for residents, partners private firms

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Ekiti govt promises quality, affordable drugs for residents, partners private firms