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The Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA) has said that there is no longer substandard drugs in the state’s public hospitals.
Director General of the Agency, Pharm. Gali Sule said the prevalence of fake and substandard drugs have been reduced to the barest minimum in all public health facilities accross the state.
Pharm. Sule, disclosed this during an interview with LEADERSHIP, explaining that the agency was able to curtail the challenge of fake and substandard drugs since it began the implementation of the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) scheme.
He stressed that the scheme allows the agency to deal directly with over 80 registered manufacturers and suppliers who participated in an annual procurement process to ensure high-quality drugs and consumables that are made available at the facilities.
According to the DG, the state procured the drugs with small markup addition for sustainability before selling to facilities where they in return sell to patients.
While lamenting on how the state used to be a dumping ground for fake and substandard drugs making it number two after Anambra State, Pharm. Sule hinted that DRF has helped to curtail the menace, improves drugs availability and accessibility as well as the quality of care to the people.
“Prior to the implementation of the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme, Kano state had a significant problem with fake and substandard drugs, with approximately 70% of circulated drugs being either fake or substandard.
However, since the implementation of the scheme, hear said the agency had been able to curtail this issue, ensuring that only standard drugs are available in public health facilities.
“No facility by law is allow to buy drugs from anywhere apart from this Agency and we here deal directly with the manufacturers and major importers that are registered with the relevant regulatory agencies,” he added.
He said when the new government came on board, stockout rate was as high as 70 percent but as at September, the stock out rate has dropped to 3.4 percent with availability rate at 96.6 percent, a feat he pointed out was achieved through the commitment to the health sector of the state Commissioner of Health and Governor Abba Yusuf.
The DG further highlighted that, in an effort to enhancing drugs storage and supply, the state through a co-funding effort with the Federal Ministry of Health and the United Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised a standard pharma grade warehouse to store adequate drugs and get direct supply from Lagos and Abuja instead of through Sokoto pharma grade that supply the North-West region.
