Gombe agency commissions drugs, medical consumables warehouse

Gombe State Drug and Medical Consumables Management Agency (GODMA), in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health and other key players in the health sector, has commissioned a medical warehouse fully stocked with drugs and medical consumables worth over N200 million.

This was in its continuous effort towards prioritizing the Gombe State health sector and ending the out of stock syndrome of drugs and medical consumables in the public hospitals across the state. 

The warehouse was commissioned behind the Timber Market Gombe, on Friday.

The Executive Secretary of GODMA, Pharmacist Caleb Faransa, described the event as a history-making one, which, according to him, will mark the beginning of ending the out of stock syndrome experienced in public hospitals in the state.

He said, “We are going to start by hitting the ground running, and I’m glad to announce to you that we are opening the GODMA warehouse with 95% needs of our facilities.

“If you go to the hospital now and someone says we don’t have a particular drug, ask them why, because GODMA is here to ensure that they have everything they need courtesy of the visionary and the supportive leadership of his excellency, the Governor of Gombe State.”

Caleb Faransa also appreciated the leadership of the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the State Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, board members of GODMA, as well as all the key players in the state health sector for their usual cooperation, support and synergy, while calling for more support from them.

Giving background to how the state Governor established the GODMA, the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Habu Dahiru said, “The state Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya conceived the idea of establishing the drug management agency.

“This was about two years ago, a bill was sent to the state House of Assembly, it came back, and he assented the bill and appointed an executive secretary and directors, particularly those for procurement, quality assurance and key directors that will run the place.

“Today, this warehouse has come to be, and we have injected about N200 million worth of drugs and medical consumables into the warehouse and arrangement has also been made for a big capitation from about two to three sources.”

Habu Dahiru added that, “One of which is from the state Governor and in no distance time, GODMA will receive another big support that will add up to what has been brought to the warehouse so that there will be steady and sustained supply of drugs and laboratory consumables in the facilities”.

In their separate remarks, the Executive Secretary, Gombe Contributory Health Scheme, (GoHealth), Dr. Abubakar Musa; the Executive of Gombe State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu; the representative of the Executive Secretary, Hospital Services Management Board, GODMA board member, Dahiru Kalla; the state Coordinator NAFDAC, Pharmacist James Agada; amongst others described the feat as a milestone for Gombe State health sector and reiterated their commitment to keep in synergy with all health agencies in the state for the betterment of Gombe State health sector.