Jigawa State local government councils have purchased drugs and other medical consumables worth over N580 million for distribution at primary healthcare facilities across the 27 local government areas of the state.
Speaking at the presentation of the items purchased for the last quarter of 2024, the state commissioner for Local Government, Hon Ahmed Garba said, the initiative was aimed at supporting the state government policy on promoting access to quality healthcare services for people of the state.
The commissioner, who was represented by permanent secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu, explained that the drugs and other medical items would be distributed free of charge to the less privileged, particularly those not covered by the state government’s social insurance.
The director of Primary Healthcare Services at the ministry, Malam Bala Alhassan said, under the initiative, the local government councils through ALGON were contributing N135 million for the purchase of the drugs in every quarter of the year.
He noted that for the last quarter of 2024, the contribution increased to over N215 million to include the purchase of other non-consumable hospital items such as mattress/beds to ensure an enabling environment for delivering quality healthcare services at the facilities.
The consumable items include essential drugs for children, pregnant women, malaria treatment, delivery kits and other related drugs needed in primary health facilities.
At the distribution of the items to PHC managers at the State Secretariat, the technical adviser to Jigawa State governor on Health, Alhaji Isa Surajo, commended ALGON and the state ministry for local government for the laudable initiative.
Mr Surajo noted that the intervention would go a long way in complementing the effort of the state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, in ensuring that no one suffers or dies because of medical bills in the state.
“Under the 12-point agenda of Governor Umar Namadi, there is provision to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare services for everyone in the state, and this initiative we are witnessing today is a good partnership in achieving the desired goals,” he stated.
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