INTER -AGENCY PRIMARY HEALTHCARE REVITALIZATION SUPPLY CHAIN COMMITTEE INAUGURATED

NIGERIA'S HEALTH MINISTER, PROF ADEWOLE

Prof. Isaac Adewole, Nigeria’s Minster of Health has inaugurated the Inter- Agency Primary Health Care Revitalization Supply Chain Committee and also, commissioned the Health Centre power kits to coordinate logistics in the supply chain and distribution of drugs and other health commodities in the health sector. 

The Honourable Minster in his remarks during the inauguration on Thursday 9^th March, 20 17 in Abuja, said that the committee would work with the existing structure of the national product supply chain management programme and Nigeria supply chain integration project.

Adewole noted that the Primary Health Care supply chain committee would serve as the implementation arm for PHC revitalization Agenda in the health sector while also pointing out that the committee would have a joint secretariat for smooth and efficient operations of the National Supply Chain Management Programme and Logistic Unit of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

The terms of reference for the PHC Revitalisation Supply Chain Committee, according to Prof. Isaac Adewole, would among others, guide and advice Government on PHC supply chain strengthening issues including procurement, storage, distribution and monitoring of commodities as well as make recommendations to Government on the best ways to ensure affordable pricing for PHC commodities.

He emphasized that the membership of the committee was carefully selected to cover all relevant officials and organisations that were critical to the mandate of the committee, adding that the committee would have the responsibility of achieving the desired harmony in logistics for the PHC Revitalization agenda in the Health Sector. 

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Chairman of the Inter- Agency PHC Revitalization Supply Chain Committee, Dr.Faisal Shuaib in his welcome address, assured that the committee would ensure improvement in the overall health outcomes and accelerate achievement towards Universal Health Coverage in the country.

The committee’s mandate would ensure that a robust supply chain was in place to deliver on the PHC revitalization agenda, Dr. Shuaib said.

He announced that the Medical Systems had donated 100 units of Health Centre power kits, 1 unit of ice pack freezer and 1 unit of vaccine refrigerator to NPHCDA through their local partner Prezzo Shed investment Ltd, noting that the ice pack freezer has the capacity to accommodate up to 162 ice packs of 0.6l and can freeze up to 54 ice packs within 24 hours while the vaccine refrigerator works as ice liner refrigerator for vaccine storage.

Pharm. Modupe Chukwumah, Co-Chairman of the Inter- Agency PHC Revitalization Supply Chain Committee and Director, Food and Drugs Services Department (FMOH), responding on behalf of the Committee, pledged the commitment of the members towards their assignment, and also appreciated the continuous support of the donors and partners for supply chain management in Nigeria.