Borno Emerges First To Conduct Training On Essential Drugs Mgt In Nigeria

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri
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Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency through the Nigeria State Health Investment Project -Additional Financing (NSHIP-AF), a World Bank assisted project has emerged the first out of the NSHIP states of the federation to embark on Training for Essential Drugs Management.

The training which would be in batches started with Training of Trainers (TOT) Thursday at the Conference Hall of the Agency in Maiduguri.

The Exectutive Director, BoPSHCDA, Dr. Sule Meleh, represented by Director Pharmaceutical Servicies in the Agency, Pharmacist Mohammed Buratai welcomed all participants and urged them to pay attention to all the sessions which was participatory.

He said the purpose of the training is to ensure that all the Facility Managers and their Pharmacy In-charges from 101 Performance Based Financing (PBF) contracted health facilities in Borno State have basic knowledge and rudiments in Essential Drug Management.

Buratai noted that, the Agency and the NSHIP -AF in Borno state is very committed to effective implementation of the project across the state, especially on the need to adhere strictly to EDM procedures in saving millions of lives in the state.

The Project Coordinator (PC) of NSHIP -AF in the state, Hajiya Habiba Saidu in her remarks said, this TOT became necessary in view of the National TOT on EDM conducted in Abuja in May this year.

EDM according to her is all processes involved in the Selection, procurement, Storage and Distribution of essential medicines as well as ensuring that right drugs are available at all times and in adequate amounts from supply source to the end users.

She said, with intervention of NSHIP which aimed at strengthening the health system, there were a lot of challenges identified in Drug Management.

This she said, attracted the attention of stakeholders who brainstormed and came up with a policy in EDM in order to save lives and resources.

She quoted World Health Organization (WHO), which defines EDM as "Drugs that satisfy the health care needs of the majority of the population".

The PC expressed appreciation to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for its support and for choosing Borno to be the first state to start TOT and Cascading on EDM at the state level.

She therefore advised all participants to use the knowledge acquired at the end of the trainings to improve on EDM indices in the quality checklists at the end of every evaluation in each quarter.

Her words: "We are very grateful to NPHCDA, NSHIP and Borno State Government under the leadership of governor Professor Babagana Zulum for their support towards implementation of PBF in the state.

"The aims and objectives of this EDM training is to acquaint all participants to have basic knowledge in EDM.

"Secondly, to ensure that at the end of the training, all drugs procured by our contracted Health facilities must reflect the certified pharmacies (Sources) on the Invoice with generic names, and should be NAFDAC Certified.

"likewise, all drug selection is done based on patients need, data from consumption pattern, seasonal variation before procurement.

" In addition, procurement of drugs must be from accredited pharmacies and central medical stores (where applicable) and in line with procurement guidelines provided by the State Ministry Of Health (SMOH), and updated yearly.

"Again, is to ensure proper dispensing of medicines and documentations in all the contracted health facilities". Saidu stated.

According to the Training Lead in an interview, Mallam Tijjani Yerwama said, Facilitators who were trained at the National Level in Abuja include the TA PBF Borno/Yobe, Mr. Nji Valery Che, Directors of Pharmaceutical Services from SMOH and BoSPHCDA, Pharm. Mohammed Buratai, Ali Atabo, PC Hajiya Habiba Saidu, and 4Team members from NPHCDA namely: Dave - Diamond Comfort, Abubakar Abdulhamid, Teibo Grace Funmilyo and Chidinma Paul- Iyaji, all facilitated the session for 16 participants/Trainers.

The Participants for the TOT he said were drawn from the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Health Management Board (HMB), Independent Verflification Agency (IVA), Contract Management Verification Agency (CMVA) and National Focal Person on NSHIP, Mr. Adamu Peter.

Yerwama noted that these participants alongside the Facilitators are expected throughout this week, beginning from Thursday 18th - Tuesday 23rd July 2019) step down the training/Cascading to Facility Managers and Pharmacist/Pharmacy Technician/ Pharmacy Assistant in all the contracted Health facilities in Borno North, Central and Southern Senatorial District.

He revealed that the Cascading/ training is to be conducted in batches at different locations in Maiduguri and Gombe state, stressing that, Studies from other countries implementing PBF have revealed significant project gains when health facility staff, especially Managers and Pharmacy In-Charges receive appropriate training on EDM.

Participants for the cascading will be from MMC, Jere, Kaga and Magumeri LGAs of Borno Central and North, who are expected to be among the 1st batch to receive the step down training, while participants from Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo, Askira-Uba and Kwaya Kusar will form part of the 2nd batch Cascading taking place in Gombe state before the end of the week.