The Mandate Secretary, of the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration in Abuja, Dr. Abubakar Tafida has expressed his determination to make healthcare services available to the residents of FCT and its environs.
Dr. Tafida stated this in Abuja while Inaugurating the FCT Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Committee with a mandate to ensure that the FCT DRF scheme works in the territory.
Rolling out the policy as part of ownership and sustainability, the Health and Human Services Secretariat with collaboration and technical support from the USAID GHSC-PSM program conducted Health facilities DRF readiness assessment in preparation for the take up of the revitalise DRF scheme in the FCT.
The Secretary mandated the Department of Pharmaceutical Services (DPS-HHSS) to inaugurate the DRF In-state Team immediately after a Two weeks intensive Training supported by Global Health Supply Chain -Procurement and Supply Chain of the United State Agency of International Development programme that takes place in R&K Guest Palace, Kano.
The Mandate Secretary who was represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services of the FCT pharm. Boniface Ikwu, said that the inauguration is part of the plans the Secretariat is making for the revitalization of the Drug revolving fund in all health facilities in the Federal Capital Territory.
Tafida said under the new system, District drug distribution centres would be built in order to increase access, and availability of quality medicines in the territory.
While stating that the centres will serve both public and private health facilities in the territory, he further explained that it is of paramount importance to set up the Drug Revolving Fund In-state Team to monitor the program.
According to him, “The In-state Team are the technical arm of Federal Capital Territory Sustainable Health Supply System Committee. They are charged with responsibilities of Supervising, Mentoring, Coaching and spots checks of all DRF activities in all primary, Secondary Tertiary health facilities and Central Medical Stores in the territory“.
He charged the In-State Team that the journey has just begun. He said, ’’We must work and move health services forward, failure is never an option, DRF must succeed in the FCT he maintains’’.
Dr Tafida thanked USAID-GHSCM-PSM for Committing so many resources to the cause of a sustainable DRF in the territory.
Olusola Akintonde
