ASABA/Nigeria: In a significant move to elevate healthcare services for the people of Delta State and its residents, the State Government has given a greenlight for a strategic partnership with donor agencies aimed at bolstering the quality of pharmaceuticals available within the state.
Delta State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojame, announced this pivotal development during the formal handover ceremony of the State Revolving Fund warehouse to a contracted firm by the Global Fund for upgrading purposes in Asaba.
Dr. Onojame emphasized the rationale behind this initiative, stating, “This project was initiated in response to the Global Fund’s request to address the exorbitantly high costs associated with the delivery of free commodities and medicines for public health programs. It aims to establish storage facilities of global standards, ensuring the integrity of these products and establishing a resilient and sustainable delivery system.”
The Commissioner detailed the upgrade’s specifics, which adhere to the ‘PharmaGrades standard,’ a warehousing protocol designed to guarantee adequate storage space, favorable storage conditions, physical integrity, and chemical stability of the pharmaceutical products.
“Previously, some of these public health commodities had to be stored in warehouses outside the State due to the insufficient storage capacity for both essential drugs distributed to healthcare facilities and free public health drugs donated by Global Fund and other contributors,” disclosed Dr. Onojame.
To oversee the implementation of this transformative grant in Delta State, the Commissioner identified key partners, including UNICEF, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Management Programme, and the National Product Supply Chain Management Programme of the Food and Drugs Department of the Federal Ministry of Health.
This ambitious project, scheduled for completion by December 31, 2023, will receive funding of N545,951,120.00 from Global Fund, while the State Government will contribute N81,000,895.00 as a counterpart fund, amounting to 15% of Global Fund’s contribution.
In an earlier statement, Mr. Victor Odion of G2 Synergy Limited expressed elation that Delta State met the deadline to become one of the four pilot states benefiting from this grant and also the first to conduct the official handover. He anticipated that the completed project would be significantly larger than the existing structure, transitioning from a bungalow to a multi-story building.
The event was graced by prominent figures, including Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Health and Drug Revolving Fund, Dr. (Mrs.) Philomena Okeowo and Pharm. (Mrs.) Ifeoma Ndobu, directors from the Ministry of Health and Drug Revolving Fund, representatives of UNICEF, and the contracting firm, among other distinguished attendees.
