By Dipo Olowookere
State governments across Nigeria have been urged to approve budget line of Logistic Management Coordinating Unit (LMCU) to carry out efficient coordination of supply chain of drugs and other health commodities from procurement warehousing, transportation to the end- users in the states.
This appeal was made by the Federal Government when a team from National Supply Chain Integration Project (NSCIP) paid advocacy visit to the stakeholders in the health sector in Abeakuta Ogun State recently.
The NSCIP was initiated by the FG and consortium of International Donors and Partners to bridge gaps and maintains uninterrupted supply system in the country.
In 2014, the National Council on Health (NCH) approved the establishment of LMCU at the state and local government levels to carry out proper coordination of supply chain of drugs in all the states of the federation.
The programme had already covered 14 states.
In a bid to get full support of the programme in the remaining states, the Federal Ministry of Health dispatched advocacy teams to solicit for budget approval and release of funds for the LMCU in the states to adequately perform its functions effectively.
One of the advocacy team led by the Technical Leader, Pharmacist Abdulhameed Wasilat visited Ogun State Government.
Among the Stakeholders visited include the State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Office of the Chairman, Local Service Commission amongst others.
Speaking on the essence of the visit, the Technical Leader of the team, Pharmacist Abdulhameed Wasilat said that the LMCU would improve the supply chain process in the state adding that it would also coordinate the distribution of drugs to the end- users and would also generate data on the quantity and quality of drugs needed by various health facilities in the state.
She said LMCU would be updating the relevant stakeholders about the quantity of drugs available in the store and the need to procure more or otherwise.
At the State Ministry of Health, Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, and the Permanent Secretary Olatunde Aigoro expressed their total support to the programme.
The Commissioner said that the state had LMCU structure on ground adding that his office would work with the office of the Director, Pharmaceutical Service to provide the required facilities to the LMCU office.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Finance, Mrs Dada Ajimobi and the Accountant General of the State/ Permanent Secretary Treasury, Mr Dosumu Mukaila commended the Federal Government and partners for initiating the Programme.
Mr Mukaila, however advised that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole should bring the issue of LCMU to the Governors’ forum to enable the Governors get first-hand information from the Minister.
The Permanent Secretary, Budget and Planning, Mr Hassan Adekunle also said that he would consider the LCMU budget in the state.
Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr Adedayo Adeneye, said that his Ministry would partner with the State Ministry of Health to publicize the importance of having LCMU Unit in the state.
