Federal Government has rolled out a digital consignment-based inventory system to tackle recurring shortages of essential medicines across national and federal hospitals.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to a statement on September 13 by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director and Head of Information & Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, the initiative was unveiled at a stakeholder engagement held in Abuja.
During the session, Daju Kachollom, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said the programme aligns with Nigeria’s supply chain management strategy for essential medicines. She emphasised that the focus is on improving both access and affordability in public healthcare facilities.
Kachollon said, “But then, whatever we do, we should never forget that our job as Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare is to save lives. First and foremost, save lives. Reduce both physical and financial pain and, produce health for all Nigerians.”
Dr. Salaudeen Jimoh MNI, Director of the Hospital Services Department, noted that the framework would cut costs while boosting the availability of medicines nationwide.
He said, “Once we go into this partnership, definitely it will be better for all Nigerians. The goal is to strengthen service delivery, introduce a digitalised consignment model for essential medicines, and promote stakeholder collaboration.”
Yakubu James, representing the Director of the Food and Drugs Services Department, explained that the engagement was part of a wider plan to align with the national drug supply chain policy.
Prof. Eme Bassey, Chairman of the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) Committee, welcomed the development but pointed to concerns hospitals face in balancing urgent patient needs with bureaucratic processes.
He said, “We must ask ourselves what happens to drugs urgently required when processes take days. Transparency is key, but we must also address realities on the ground.”
The government expressed optimism that with full stakeholder collaboration, the new model will strengthen transparency, guarantee steady availability of essential medicines, and contribute to achieving universal health coverage.
