Niger Commissioner Seeks PPP Initiative For Universal Health Coverage

Niger State commissioner for Health, Dr Mukasidi Muhammad has urged state governments in the country to take advantage of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative facilitated by the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) for residents to access essential health commodities at an affordable price.

Muhammad spoke at the 3rd leadership breakfast meeting, hosted by the Niger state ministry of Health in collaboration with the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN).

The commissioner said this would lead to the attainment of universal health coverage, urging the state governments to leverage their strengths for economies of scale with a significant impact on addressing primary health care facility coverage and cost of essential services.

In his presentation, “On my watch, universal health coverage is achievable: Making quality and affordable essential medicines available through the Niger State Drugs and hospital consumables management agency and its PPP partners,” the commissioner spoke of the impacts of the PPP in helping to fund the healthcare system in Niger State.

Dr Muhammed said, “We are not only looking at the social component of the Drug and hospital consumable agency, but we are also keen about the agency’s business model as this will help us improve the source of funding to the healthcare system.

“At the moment, the Niger State government has a total investment portfolio for the PPP of NGN 124, 330, 979.”

He stated that state governments and other actors should work to achieve improved supply chain performance in the pharma space by ensuring a reduction in the staggered supplies, which impact on-time and in-full (OTIF) deliveries, a critical universal health coverage key performance indicator.

Speaking at the event, the chief executive officer of Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management, Azuka Okeke said, “The 3rd leadership breakfast meeting is a business meeting and not a showcase event.”

Okeke said stakeholders would agree at the end of the meeting on expanding the PPP in the health sector to improve access to essential health commodities at affordable prices.

While noting that the PPP has helped save costs, he cited the Kaduna State government as a shining example.

Also speaking, Henrietta Bakura Onyeneke, the national coordinator of NPSCMP, commended the states that have started implementing the National Supply Chain Strategy Plan.