Kano cracks down on drug diversion in public hospitals

The Kano State Government, on Wednesday, confirmed that it has put in place necessary measures to halt the diversion of drugs and essential medical consumables in the entire state-owned medical facilities across the 44 local government areas of the state.

The Director General, Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumable Supply Agency, Gali Sule who disclosed this on Wednesday said the action is to specifically alert the public on the success recorded under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Yusuf, as he marks his first year in office.

According to him, the measures have led to significant and consistent availability of drugs in public hospitals in the state since the inception of Yusuf’s administration which is part of his campaign promise of providing qualitative health care services to the teeming populace of the state.

He said: “We have strengthened issues of transparency and accountability under our drug revolving funds policy, where whoever is in charge of medical stores, warehouses or pharmacies must account for whatever transactions he conducted in every quarter.

“We conduct quarterly review meetings every three months, where stocks of these stores will be taken at the beginning of the quarter, as well as the end of the quarter, including the value to ensure whatever is supplied tallies with the records of drugs supplied to any facility and followed up to where the drugs are supplied to confirm their arrival and judicious use.

“Where there is a gap, whoever is in charge, be he a storekeeper or pharmacist must be held responsible for the gap and other necessary sanctions to be taken, and I can confidently inform you, that we have improved our supply and availability of drugs in our hospitals rising from 30% to 90% within the last one year in office.”

Similarly, he noted that with the mandate of the Governor, the agency has embarked on sourcing for qualitative and affordable drugs, including other medical consumables, which are supplied and distributed to all hospitals across the state hospitals, thus bringing to an end the threat of fake and substandard drugs in public hospitals.

In addition, Sule noted that following their partnership with renowned pharmaceutical suppliers, only certified and genuine drugs, registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control are supplied to the hospitals for public consumption, assuring the general public of their safety under Yusuf’s-led administration.

Furthermore, the Director General said that the transparency and accountability policy is all-compassing, disclosing that the Agency is exploring the possibility of blocking the diversion of public health commodities, donated by groups or individuals for free supplies to patients.