The Kano state government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the local pharmaceutical companies under the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) for its emergency procurement to ensure the supply of quality and affordable essential medicines to citizens.

The MoU was signed on Tuesday at Unique Pharmaceuticals Nig. Ltd., Veepee Industrial Avenue, Sango Otta, Ogun state.

The Kano Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, and the Director General of Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA), Gali Sule, signed the MoU on behalf of the state government.

The Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors of the pharmaceutical companies signed the MoU on behalf of the 11 local pharmaceutical companies involved in the partnership.

The companies include, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Jawa International Limited, Unique Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, Miraflash Nigeria Limited, Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Limited, Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, Biomedical Limited, Juhel Nigeria Limited, Bond Chemical Industry, Shalina Healthcare Nigeria Limited.

The Kano commissioner for health commended the quality and affordability of the products manufactured by the local pharmaceutical companies over the years, which he said have been reaching and touching lives positively.

He stated that the motive of the MoU was to have an agreement with mutual benefit for both the companies and the state.

Yusuf stressed that Nigeria is an emerging market, adding that there is a need to make such partnerships stronger by trusting the government.

He spoke about the efforts by the Kano government in serving three categories of patients with free drugs across the state, namely: pregnant women, children under five years, and sickle-celled patients.

Yusuf said trough this partnership with the local pharmaceutical companies, Kano State will exclusively gain access to a steady supply of high-quality and affordable health commodities.

According to him, the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency aims to increase access to high-quality health services for its citizens by ensuring the constant availability of basic health care commodities across all of its health facilities.

The director of pharmaceutical services at the Kano ministry of health, Kamilu Mudi, assured the pharmaceutical companies that the MoU will be adhered to by the ministry to improve the state and nation’s healthcare indices.

The Managing Director of Unique Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, T.V. Ramani, appreciated the Kano state government for keying into the partnership initiative, emphasizing the pharma companies’ commitment to addressing the country’s health agenda.

The Kano team led by the commissioner of health visited three local pharmaceutical manufacturing plants on Monday.

The pharmaceutical companies included Jawa International Limited, Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited, and Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited.

The MoU signing was brokered by the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM).

The organisation will support partnership by overseeing the MoU and ensure that both parties adhere to the terms of the agreement.

Kano State became the 9th state in Nigeria that has signed this partnership brokered by the ARC_ESM.

The MoU signing was witnessed by Azuka Okeke the CEO, ARC_ESM, Josephine Sule, a representative of the NPSCMP, Frank Mounemeh, the executive secretary of PMG-MAN, and representatives of the other pharmaceutical companies involved in the partnership.

Other delegates from Kano State present were Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board (HMB), Dr. Rahila Mukhtar, Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), and Pharm Tukur Ibrahim, Director of Drugs and Supplies at the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA).