Kano, Local Pharmacy Firms To Boost Supply Of Medical Products

The Kano state government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the local pharmaceutical companies under the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) for its emergency procurement to ensure the supply of quality and affordable essential medicines to citizens.

The MoU was signed recently at Unique Pharmaceuticals Nig. Ltd., Veepee Industrial Avenue, Sango Otta, Ogun state.

The Kano government was represented at the signing by the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCA).

Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the Kano commissioner for Health, and Gali Sule, the director general of Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA), signed the MoU on behalf of the state government.

The chief executive officers (CEOs) and managing directors of the pharmaceutical companies signed the MoU on behalf of the 11 local pharmaceutical companies involved in the partnership, namely: Fidson Healthcare Plc, Jawa International Limited, Unique Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, Miraflash Nigeria Limited, Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Limited, Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, Biomedical Limited, Juhel Nigeria Limited, Bond Chemical Industry, Shalina Healthcare Nigeria Limited.

The Kano commissioner for health commended the quality and affordability of the products manufactured by the local pharmaceutical companies over the years, which he said have been reaching and touching lives positively.

He stated that the motive of the MoU was to have an agreement with mutual benefit for both the companies and the state He stressed that Nigeria is an emerging market, adding that there is a need to make such partnerships stronger by trusting the government.

Kamilu Mudi, the director of pharmaceutical services at the Kano ministry of health, assured the pharmaceutical companies that the MoU will be adhered to by the ministry to improve the state and nation’s healthcare indices.

T.V. Ramani, the managing director of Unique Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, appreciated the Kano state government for keying into the partnership initiative, emphasising the pharma companies’ commitment to addressing the country’s health agenda.

The MoU signing was brokered by the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM). Kano State became the 9th state in Nigeria to sign this partnership, which was broken by the ARC_ESM.

The MoU signing was witnessed by Azuka Okeke the CEO, of ARC_ESM, Josephine Sule, a representative of the NPSCMP, Frank Mounemeh, the executive secretary of PMG-MAN, and representatives of the other pharmaceutical companies involved in the partnership.

Other delegates from Kano State present were Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board (HMB), Dr. Rahila Mukhtar, Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), and Pharm Tukur Ibrahim, Director of Drugs and Supplies at the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCA).