Plateau Government Set To Establish Management Agency For Drug Administration

 In order to control drug administration, the Plateau Government has established a drug and commodities management agency in the state.

This was revealed by Dr Nimkong Lar, the Commissioner for Health, while briefing newsmen on Thursday at the Government House in Jos.

He expressed joy over the approval of a bill, for a law to establish the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (DCMA) by the Executive Council.

“One of the major challenges of health services in the state is the difficulty to access quality and affordable drugs in our health centres.

"The issue of fake drugs will not be there again if an agency is established to monitor the administration of drugs.

"We also have big pharmaceutical companies operating to distribute drugs to health centres across the state,” he said.

According to him, the establishment of the agency would assure patients of the efficacy of the drugs they use.

“The agency is going to be very useful to us. A lot of development partners like the USAID and global fund will be there to help us get quality drugs for our people at a subsidised rate.

“Presently we have what is called the Global Health Supply Chain, it to assist us,” he said.

Speaking on the patients who contracted monkeypox, he said they have been discharged.

”Samples have been taken from the three suspected cases for further investigations,” he added.

Also speaking, Pam Bot-Mang, the Commissioner for Works, said when the agency is established, there would be a provision of quality and affordable drugs and other health commodities, for tertiary, secondary, and primary health care facilities in the state.

The council appreciated the State Governor, Gov. Simon Lalong for approving the project’s counter funding for its take-off in 2016, noting that some of the projects have been completed

”Two of the projects have been completed, the one in Mangu main market gully erosion site has been completed 100 per cent and one in Munchogopyeng site has been 90 per cent completed,” he said