FG Reiterates Commitment To Boost Health Supply Procurement

In a bid to boost the health care sector, the Federal Ministry of Health
has assured Nigerians of an effective health supply procurement to enhance service delivery in the interest of all citizens.

The Minister of Heath Mohammed Ali Pate who made the call at a workshop in Abuja, said the essence of the workshop was to build the health supply chain for efficiency and reliability.

The Minister, who was represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Kachallom Daju said that in the 2024 appropriation, the budget was to improve health care outcomes by ensuring provision of quality health care infrastructure and equipment for affordability and access for all Nigerians.

He stressed that the Ministry has introduced and implemented several policies and strategies to strengthen products procurement and supply chain to achieve a high level of beneficiency in the delivery of medicines and other health products in line with Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda in the health system.

The Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, Mamman Ahmadu said the workshop became necessary to discuss, share best practices and agree on good innovative health care procurement and supply chain in Nigeria.

He added that in recent years the BPP adopted several strategic initiatives both at the national and sub-national level to address existing challenges and create a more robust, efficient and transparent procurement process.

Ahmadu, stressed that the Bureau of Public Procurement has played a pivotal role in strengthening the health care system inline with the president’s renewed hope agenda for health.

In a welcome address, the head of procurement and supply, CIPS, Alan Martin said the workshop was aimed at improving maternal and child health challenges through sustainable procurement solutions to realise a healthier tomorrow and access to essential health communities across Africa.

Martins, also stressed that the initiative will bring standardised tools and documents that would also help in improving availability of health care products through effective collaboration with all stakeholders for national development.

The convener of the workshop and programme manager, CIPS, Chukwudi Uche said the core objective of the workshop was to bring technical procurement experts together to brainstorm for better cost for health products, improve availability and pooling the needs together and delivering to entities that need them.

Uche, added that quality, affordability, availability and access to life saving health care products was also key to contribute to universal health outcomes in line with global best practices.

Garry Ochigbo, Edited By Grace Namiji