AKSG, SOML  Distribute Medicines, Commodities To PHCs

 As part of effort to ensure effective healthcare delivery, the Akwa  Ibom government  in collaboration with Saving One Million Lives(SOML)  Programme For Results  has flagged- off the distribution of essential medicines and consumables to Primary Healthcare  Centres  across the 31 local government  areas of the state.

 The commissioner for health, Professor Augustine Vincent Umoh  who performed  the flag –off at  the state central stores, Thursday , said that the activity was  to satisfy the priority health care needs of the people of the state and   fulfilling  the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) for good  health and well-being of the people.

He noted   that the advent of Coronavirus  Disease(COVID-19) with resultant interruptions in the supply chain for medicines left most of the health programmes and  facilities with epileptic supplies or outright stock out in basic and essential medicines needed to improve health service  delivery in the state.

However, he stated that health partners supporting the state had continued  to place premium on health commodity , availability  and supply  to the state, yet  there were  some gaps , which Governor Udom Emmanuel  graciously  approved the procurement of  the essential medicines and consumables through the SOML  fund to  all Primary Health Centres.

Umoh observed that the governor had continued to put health care provision at the forefront of his administration by reconstruction , renovation  and equipping of several health facilities in the state, the employment of different cadres of health professionals , amongst other things.

He charged the  health personnel  to judiciously use the supplies to impact  the health of the  people in the state.

The commissioner pointed out that with the  current change in weather , the  products  would  help a lot in taking care of respiratory tract infection , especially in children who are mostly affected.

 Umoh  warned  that the drugs were not for sale and  advised them to keep accurate  data in the administration of the medicines and commodities at the centres.

The executive secretary, Akwa Ibom  State Primary Healthcare Development Agency( AKSPHCDA), Dr Eno Attah who was elated with materials , appreciated the governor in his strides  to support  PHC , recalling that the agency  came  into existence in his tenure    with  various step taken to ensure that the state access  the  Basic Healthcare Provision Fund(BHCPF) .

 She  extolled the commissioner  for his  drive to improve the health sector  and craved for more of these interventions.

Setting the tone for the exercise, Dr  John Orok , programme  manager, State Malaria Elimination Programme(SMEP), said there was a gap  in the   medicines and consumables supplies,  but the problems  had been solved with the delivery  and promised that  they would  be put to proper usage.

Responding,   Imabong Nsungwara, chairman , Forum of  directors  of primary healthcare , stated that  the items which would be put in  various components of primary healthcare would  go a long way to reduce mortality and morbidity  and commended  the state government  and partners for the timely provision of the essentials.