By Nabilu Balarabe
The Yobe Drug and Medical Consumables Management Agency (YODMA) says it has expanded N300 million annually on its Free Drug Programme.
The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Mr Abdulazeez Mohammed stated this at a news conference on Tuesday in Damaturu.
According to him, the programme targets poorest of the poor who cannot afford the drug.
He said from 2020 to date, the Agency had rolled out Drug Reagents and Medical Consumables Revolving Fund in 336 primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities across the state.
The measure, he said, drastically addressed shortage of drug in its stock, representing 8.4 per cent in 2022 as against 12.24 per cent in 2021.
The executive secretary said the Agency had engaged 12 pharmacists and two pharmacy technicians to fasttrack implementation of its mandate.
He said the agency also inaugurated a Zonal Warehouse in Postiskum, renovated and equipped central medical store in Damaturu and two other zonal warehouses in Gashua and Nguru.
Mohammed listed other achievements to include the adoption of the national blueprint for supply chain management system and the establishment of M-supply electronic software for inventory management.
Others were procurement of two operational vehicles, and Public Private Partnership agreements with a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group, to provide drugs at a distributor price with flexible payment terms. (NAN)
